


War Bonds (Year 3)

by ArcticMatter_77



Series: War Bonds [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Feels, Clone Wars, Clones, Death, Developing Relationship, Disillusionment, Emotional Confusion, F/M, Fluff, Force Bond (Star Wars), Jedi, Mutual Pining, Pining, Plot, Relationship(s), Sacrifice, Secrets, Slow Burn, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) Spoilers, Violence, Wounded, no betas we die like clones, references to republic commando (novels), rexsoka, this is long
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:15:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 60
Words: 218,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26159386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcticMatter_77/pseuds/ArcticMatter_77
Summary: The Clone Wars continue still. Things only get worse. It is said that in darkness, there is always a little light. But is that really true?Relationships are further tested and are changed, the political gears grind ever harder, the war presses upon every being in the galaxy, and the injured and the dead continue to grow in number.This is part 3, detailing the events of 20BBY and drawing on events from the TV show and the comics.
Relationships: Ahsoka Tano & Clone Troopers, Boil & Waxer (Star Wars), CC-2224 | Cody & CT-7567 | Rex, CT-21-0408 | Echo & CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555, CT-7567 | Rex & Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex/Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Plo Koon & Ahsoka Tano, Riyo Chuchi & Ahsoka Tano, Riyo Chuchi/CC-1010 | Fox, Stak & Razor (Star Wars), as a sideplot
Series: War Bonds [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1718581
Comments: 1190
Kudos: 927





	1. Choose Wisely

**Living quarters, Jedi Temple, Coruscant**

Ahsoka Tano ran a hand absentmindedly over the brand-new braid of Padawan beads that had been given to her by Master Yoda only hours ago as she stared out the window at the evening Coruscant skyline, watching as speeder flew by and civilians milled about on the streets below. The braid was supposed to signify her growth as a student in the Jedi Order and show that she was just another step closer to becoming a fully-fledged Knight. For some reason she couldn’t explain, the more she thought about that, the more nervous she felt. What would that be like? To step away from Anakin and Rex and her men and become something, some _one_ . . . _separate_. What would she do? How drastically would things change?

She wasn’t quite sure. Really, she shouldn’t be worried at all. She wouldn’t really be leaving everyone behind. Obi-Wan and Anakin – formerly a Master and his Apprentice – were still as close as close could be. They saw each other pretty frequently and were still friends just like they had always been.

Yeah.

She was overacting, of course. Most Padawans didn’t become Jedi Knights until they were near or past the age of twenty. Master Obi-Wan himself had been twenty-five when he was Knighted. She was sixteen. There was plenty of time before all that responsibility came crashing down onto her montrals.

The less she thought about it, the better.

The door pneumatic door behind her slid open.

“Hey there, Snips.”

Ahsoka turned and peered across the living space to see her Master, Anakin Skywalker, step into the room. Dressed in his customary dark robes and with his hair getting longer and shaggier by the day, he appeared a tall, imposing man. Most people would think so. Ahsoka knew better. Underneath the brash, prickly exterior, she knew he had a heart of gold and a will that always drove him to do the right thing. He was the closest thing to an older brother that she would ever have.

“Hey, Skyguy,” Ahsoka said, eyeing him up and down. “I like the new look. Did I inspire you or something?” He no longer wore the deep gray plastoid armor over his upper chest and shoulders. His robes were also not as long as they had been only last week.

He glanced down at himself, one eyebrow raised. Ahsoka noticed he kept his right hand – the mechanical one – behind his back. He was hiding something.

“Just thought it looked a little more mature was all,” Anakin said, shrugging.

Ahsoka snorted. There wasn’t much Anakin Skywalker was ‘mature’ about.

“Whatcha got there?” she asked, stepping closer and skirting around the table and the couch.

He looked up at her, confused. “Uh. Got?”

“Anakin,” she said, rolling her eyes but smiling all the same, “come on. I can clearly see you’re hiding something behind your back.”

“Can’t keep much from you, can I?”

“Nope.”

Anakin smirked, as though he thought that was funny for some reason, then gave a theatrical sigh. “Okay . . .” he huffed. “I guess if you _must_ know, I’ve got a little box here.” He revealed a rectangular, black box. Then he held it out to her. “And it’s for you.”

“Me?” What was with her receiving all these gifts lately? Not that she was complaining, of course. “Master, you know my lifeday is a _long_ way off, right?”

Anakin laughed. “I’m aware. It’s for you all the same.”

Ahsoka took the box from him and – after an embarrassing moment where she tried to figure out where exactly the lid was – flipped it open. Inside was –

_A lightsaber!_

A lightsaber identical to the one she already had, except that it was perhaps an inch or two smaller. Tentatively, she reached down and retrieved the weapon, holding it in her left hand as she raised it up and peered at it wondrously.

“I thought,” Anakin said, smirking and folding his arms as he looked down at her, “that after all that training you’ve been doing and getting your new Padawan beads, you deserved to finally get that shoto you’ve been after.” She stared at him.

“Master . . .”

“Go on,” he prompted. “Turn it on; see what you think.”

Holding the ‘saber parallel to her body, Ahsoka thumbed the ignition button. The blade sprung to life. It was about half as long as her regular lightsaber – a weapon meant more for defense and to compliment her existing style more than to be wielded as an offensive weapon on its own. The blade itself was colored green . . . or . . . not quite. Ahsoka detected a hint of yellow in its glow.

“I . . . think the color’s off since I found the crystal,” Anakin said, almost apologetically. “If you want, you can probably meditate with it; change it to a deeper green.”

“It’s perfect,” Ahsoka assured him as she shut off the blade. “Thank you, Master!” Unable to help herself, she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him. Ahsoka was an intensely physical being. As a Jedi though, she didn’t have many opportunities to act on such touch-laden impulses; even with Anakin. They were alone at the moment, though, and she was happy.

Anakin took a surprised step back but didn’t pull away. After an awkward moment where he wasn’t quite sure what to do – _Boys. Rex is the same way_ – he hugged her back.

“There’s, uh, something else going on today,” Anakin said after a few moments, pulling back. “Though I think you’ll find it a lot less exciting.”

“Oh?” Ahsoka asked, raising a brow.

_What now? Boring street patrol? A meeting with the Chancellor? More Archive studies?_

“Obi-Wan suggested that it was time for you to learn a little more about politics,” Anakin said. “So I thought I’d take you to the senate meeting today. There’s an important legislation that’s going to be discussed.”

_Oh . . . Maybe patrol wouldn’t be so boring compared to that. There goes my morning. And probably afternoon._

“Oh,” she said.

“Something the matter?”

“Well . . .” she started, unsure of what she should say. “I dunno. I mean politics isn’t really my thing, you know?”

“Maybe,” Anakin shrugged. “But as a Jedi, it’s important that you at least understand the basics of what’s going on in the Republic. You, Obi-Wan, and I all have friends that are politicians. The Order itself helps to advise both the Chancellor and the Senate as a whole. You have to be mindful of politics whether you like it or not.”

“I guess.” She still didn’t feel that great about it.

“Think of it this way,” Anakin said, turning back toward the door and motioning for her to follow. She did so, clipping her brand-new lightsaber to her belt where it hung alongside her old one, “what if you were to sit on the Jedi Council someday and never learned about politics? Then you’d have no idea what the other Masters were talking about when they discuss how they need to operate and who they need to advise.”

Ahsoka couldn’t help but laugh. “Me?” she asked. “On the Council? Now _there’s_ a scary thought.”

“I don’t know,” Anakin mused as they walked down the spacious corridor, side-by-side. “I think the Council could use someone like you. You’re wiser than you think, Ahsoka. And, who knows, maybe you’ll have mellowed out a bit by the time you become a Master.”

Ahsoka laughed again. The praise felt good, though she still wasn’t sure about the idea of being a Master on the Council. “What about you?” she asked. “Don’t you think _you_ could get on the Council?”

Anakin’s laughter reverberated around the quite hall, drawing the attention of several passing Jedi. “Yeah, right,” he said, rolling his eyes after finally having collected himself. “The day the Council takes me on is the day Ventress stops being ugly.”

And then they were both laughing again.

* * *

Having spent the majority of the midday watching a bunch of senators debate, Ahsoka was extremely glad to finally trail after Anakin and Padmé as they walked down the hall away from the senatorial chamber. She cast her mind back to the meeting, trying to sift through all the political mumbo jumbo and pick out what the hell was going on.

An Ish Tib senator, Saam, he had been called, was proposing some new kind of legislation. “This is a matter not of philosophy,” he said. “More troops are needed. The Republic cannot afford to let the Separatists gain any more ground.”

“Our generals inform us that troops in the field continue to perform valiantly,” Bail Organa argued. “What we cannot afford is to be irresponsible. The Republic is near bankruptcy due to the cost of this war.”

There had been a lot of uproar at that.

Then the delegate of the Trade Federation – _why the hell do_ they _get a delegate? Everyone knows they’re aligned with the Separatists_ – named Lott Dod had intervened. “Bankruptcy is not necessary, my friends,” he said. “If we pass Senator Saam’s bill to open new lines of credit, we will gain access to the needed funds.”

“Won’t this bill essentially deregulate the banks?” asked Mon Mothma.

“A small price to pay to finance the war,” cut in the Kaminoan senator, Halle Burtoni, “is it not?”

_Well, she would say that. Since her people would be the ones getting paid to make more clones._

Uproar had once again ensued before Padmé intervened.

“Members of the senate,” she asserted in a voice that almost sounded scolding, pushing her hoverplatform to the center of the room. “Do you hear yourselves? More money, more clones, more war. Say nothing of fiscal responsibility, what about _moral_ responsibility? Hasn’t this war gone on long enough?”

“Senator Amidala,” called Senator Saam, “are you suggesting we surrender to the Separatists?”

“Of course not,” Padmé said. “But negotiation might be a better course of action.

“You can’t negotiate with those animals!” cried another senator Ahsoka couldn’t see.

On the one hand, peace would be nice; it was what she was supposed to strive for as a Jedi. And without war, Rex and his brothers wouldn’t be dying every day. On the other, the senator was right: there was no negotiating with monsters like Ventress and Dooku. The Separatists were all bloodthirsty, war-hungry animals.

So what were they supposed to do?

The meeting had been called shortly after that.

“You must ask the Jedi Council to speak with Chancellor Palpatine,” Padmé implored Anakin as the trio walked down the hall.

“Don’t involve me in this,” Anakin said, flatly. Ahsoka knew her Master thought politics was a waste of time; he thought the system was flawed and slow.

“A peaceful solution is the only way out of this morass of war,” Padmé maintained.

“That’s not my role, Padmé.”

“Why not?” Ahsoka asked, changing her pace so she walked beside Padmé. “Why isn’t it your role? Aren’t we Jedi Knights? Isn’t it our duty to speak our minds to advise the Chancellor?”

Anakin cleared his throat, looking at Padmé. “Uh . . . I suggest _you_ teach my young Padawan a thing or two about politics.”

“After today’s debate,” Padmé mused, “I was hoping she learned a great deal.”

“Truthfully,” Ahsoka admitted, “I don’t understand any of it. I know the Separatists are evil, but all anyone argued about was banking deregulation, interest rates, and, well, almost nothing about why we’re fighting in the first place.”

Anakin pulled in front of her, bringing the group to a halt. “War’s complicated, Ahsoka,” he said. “But let me, uh, simplify it. The Separatists believe the Republic is corrupt, but they’re wrong. And we have to restore order.”

Padmé folded her arms and rolled her eyes. “Maybe talking to the Jedi Council isn’t the role for you after all,” she said. Apparently, Anakin’s viewpoint didn’t meet her standards. She walked past him. “Thanks for your help. Come on, Ahsoka.”

_Oh? What does she need me for now?_

Obediently, she followed the senator, leaving Anakin behind staring after them.

“ _Hey_ ,” he protested, appearing to realize that he was being insulted.

“You told me to teach her about politics,” Padmé said, barely looking back. “So I’m going to.”

Now without Anakin, Ahsoka followed Padmé all the way to her office a few floors up. Unsure of what exactly the senator wanted to teach her, she crossed the room and leaned against the side of Padmé’s desk. Instead of sitting behind it like Ahsoka thought she would, Padmé crossed to the window and stared out thoughtfully over the Coruscant skyline.

“Is it always that heated in the senate chambers?” Ahsoka asked, examining her nails.

“Not always,” Padmé said, the ghost of a smile playing on her lips. “But, I will admit that discussions border on arguments more and more frequently these days.”

“Sounds like a rough job,” Ahsoka said. “Do you like what you do?”

“I . . .” Padmé paused. “I take pride in what I do. I know I’m doing my best to guide the Republic into a less bloodthirsty future. Do I enjoy arguing with other senators all day? No. But it can’t be helped given the fact that some of their interests do not align with what’s best for the Republic.”

“Do you really think peace with the Separatists is an option?”

“Yes. I think it is really the only option that will allow us to secure a safe future,” Padmé said. She sighed, shaking her head slightly. “If only I could talk to Senator Bonteri.”

“Who’s he?” Ahsoka asked.

“He is a she,” Padmé explained, turning back to face her. “A senator in the Confederacy of Independent Systems.”

_That_ brought Ahsoka up short. _What?_ Her head jerked around at the speed of light.

“Your _friend_ is a _Separatist_?” she demanded, almost unable to believe it. “One of Dooku’s pawns?”

“The Separatists used to be a part of the Republic,” Padmé said, her tone not faltering in the slightest. “I was close with many of the senators who left. I may not agree with them, but they’re more than pawns.”

“If you think negotiating is the right thing to do,” Ahsoka said, straightening, “let’s talk to her.” It’d be weird, she supposed, but it was better than sitting around and doing nothing.

Padmé sighed once more. “The senate’s made it illegal.”

“Illegal?”

“They say official meetings would only legitimize the Separatists,” she explained.

“Well,” Ahsoka said, pacing, “Master Skywalker and I hold what we call ‘aggressive negotiations’ all the time. It’s a shame you can’t hold more peaceful talks when you want.”

Padmé’s head jerked up. “You just gave me an idea,” she said, brightening. “You’re a Jedi. Which gives you special clearance.”

“Right . . .” Where was she going with this?

“And Jedi are allowed to travel to neutral worlds like Mandalore,” Padmé went on, “where we could then board a cargo ship to a Separatist system.”

Ahsoka had to talk this out. “Are you suggesting I use my status as a Jedi to smuggle you behind enemy lines?”

“It’s just that you could get us through to meet with her,” Padmé said, backtracking a bit, “and I haven’t seen her or her family in so long.”

“Relax,” Ahsoka smirked. “I’ll help you. Besides, Master Skywalker said you should teach me about politics.”

“Right,” Padmé agreed.

“You know,” Ahsoka said, realizing something, “you two have more in common than you think. It’s no wonder you get along so well.” Using Jedi status to sneak off and do whatever was exactly the type of thing Anakin would do. And probably already had done.

“Huh,” Padmé said, as though the idea had never crossed her mind. “Of course.”

“So,” Ahsoka said as the senator circled the desk to stand next to her, “where are we heading?”

“Raxus.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Choose Wisely - Halo 3 Soundtrack
> 
> We're starting Year 3! My upload schedule might change if I start falling behind; I'll keep you updated.
> 
> According to Wookiepedia, Ahsoka's shoto was a gift from Anakin. But we never see that, so I'm putting it in here. And yeah, the opening bit is a reference to that one Forces of Destiny episode. The timing isn't exact, but it's Forces of Destiny; not like it's vital to canon anyway.


	2. One Point Perspective

**Bonteri residence, Raxus**

Ahsoka, luggage in hand, stepped out of the transport and onto a small, circular landing pad in front of the huge estate that loomed above them all. She stuck close behind Padmé and her friend, Mina Bonteri, as they were the first two to exit the shuttle.

Senator Bonteri was not at all what she had been expecting. Not that she had really known what to expect, anyway. A tall woman with short, brown hair that grayed at her temples. She wore an elegant dress and applied a small amount of makeup. Silvery tattoos of some kind snaked up her arms and her neck, though Ahsoka could only guess at their meaning. She was kind and laughed easily. It was disarming. But she was still a Separatist . . .

That was just so hard for her to believe. She didn’t act all like any Separatist she had ever met.

“Lux!” called Senator Bonteri, looking up toward the estate as she, Padmé, and Ahsoka disembarked, followed by a few other well-dressed passengers that she didn’t recognize. “Come down here and help our guests with their luggage, please.”

Ahsoka glanced up. There was a human boy leaning against one of the posts by the staircase leading toward the estate. He was a little taller and broader than her and he had short, neatly-cut brown hair and small blue eyes. He was . . . kind of good-looking. But she wasn’t about to admit _that_ out loud.

“Padmé,” Senator Bonteri said, drawing the younger woman in for a one-armed embrace as they walked across the landing pad. “It’s so good to see you.”

“Yes,” Padmé agreed. “How things have changed since the last time we met.”

“Let’s go inside,” Senator Bonteri offered as the boy, Lux – most likely her son – finished descending the stairs and reached the landing pad. “There’s much to discuss.”

“Please,” Lux said, stopping in front of Padmé and bowing politely, “allow me.” And she allowed him to take her overnight bag in one of his hands. She and Senator Bonteri walked off, and he moved on to Ahsoka. “May I?”

Ahsoka jerked her own bag out of his reach. “I can handle it,” she said. She didn’t need his help. Another Separatist. She gave the boy a stern look that hopefully told him he was to stay the hell away from her for the duration of her visit.

He just looked confused.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes and she quickened her pace to catch up with Padmé and Senator Bonteri.

_Boys. Absolutely clueless; the lot of them._

Luckily, Lux seemed to disappear after that. Ahsoka deposited her luggage in a room that had apparently been prepared in advance of her and Padmé’s visit and ended up in a small, elegant-looking dining room. Come to that, the whole place was elegant-looking. High ceilings. Long tables. large windows that looked out onto lush, green courtyards filled with fountains, flowers, and statues.

Ahsoka stood a few paces away from the two older women; a little unsure as to what she should be doing. Senator Bonteri brought in a pair of drinks and walked toward Padmé, who was gazing out the window into the courtyard beyond.

“He’s grown so much, Mina,” she said, as if amazed. Ahsoka shifted and looked over Padmé’s shoulder. Lux was sitting on a marble bench in the courtyard, gazing out into space.

Whatever.

“Time won’t stop,” Senator Bonteri chuckled, “even if we are at war.” She handed Padmé a glass, which she accepted. “And I’m afraid these events are shaping his young life.”

“With all due respect,” Ahsoka said, edging a little closer, “as a Separatist, didn’t you create this war?”

“Ahsoka!” Padmé said sharply.

“It’s alright,” Senator Bonteri said, waving her free arm. She turned to look at Ahsoka. “That’s a very polarized point of view, my dear. Would it surprise you to know that many of the people you call Separatists feel the same way about the Republic? And the Jedi?”

What?

But . . . that didn’t make any sense. The Separatists _had_ started the war. Where was all this coming from?

“Lux’s father was like that,” mused Senator Bonteri, turning away.

“Maybe I could speak with him,” Ahsoka offered. She’d come this far; might as well hear from him as well.

“If only you could,” said Senator Bonteri, her voice somewhat hushed. “A year ago next week, he was setting up a base on Argonar when clones attacked. My husband fought bravely in self-defense. But was killed.”

Oh.

Argonar.

Argonar . . . she thought she’d heard that name somewhere before.

Had Rex mentioned it once?

“E-Excuse me,” Ahsoka said. “I . . . think I’ll get some air.” She didn’t really want to be around Senator Bonteri at the moment. Why? Why was she suddenly feeling guilty? She hadn’t even been on Argonar. She hadn’t known about any of this until now. She needed a minute to collect her thoughts. And hopefully, come back less confused than she was at the moment.

She found a nearby door that led outside, into the courtyard. As she descended the marble staircase leading down from the house into the garden area, she realized that it was occupied.

_Right._

_Lux._

The teenager was sitting atop the railing on the side of the stairs, still quietly staring off into space. Thinking? Who knew? She passed him, careful to give the boy a wide berth. She didn’t want to go around giving the impression that they were on speaking terms.

But apparently, he didn’t know. Or didn’t care.

“You’re a Jedi, aren’t you?” he said, not sounding too pleased about that fact. It was more of a statement than a question. He must’ve seen the lightsabers on her belt. Or her Padawan braid.

Ahsoka stopped halfway down the stairs and turned to look back at him. “Yes,” she said, warily. She wasn’t in the mood for an argument. Or a teachable moment. “Why do you ask?”

Lux looked up. Away from her. “Before the war, I was always told Jedi were good,” he said.

“And now?”

Lux hopped off the railing and onto the stairs; just a little above her. He seemed to size her up for a moment. There was no anger in his eyes. No resentment. Just . . . what? Interest? Confusion?

“I don’t know anymore,” he admitted after a moment. He started to descend toward her. “There are a lot of terrible things happening. A lot of killing.” _Like his father._ Why was she thinking that? “And now my friends are saying the Jedi are to blame.”

He reached Ahsoka but kept going. Toward the bottom of the stairs. She followed him, keeping a meter or so between them. No need to get too close.

“I’m the first Jedi you’ve ever met, aren’t I?” Ahsoka asked, raising one brow. It seemed like an obvious fact to her. If he’d ever actually met a Jedi before, he’d know that they all really were the good guys. That they were doing their best to end the fighting and bring peace back to the galaxy.

“Well, um . . . yes,” Lux said, looking a little sheepish.

Ahsoka reached the bottom of the stairs and turned back to him, pausing. “Look at me,” she said, folding her arms. “I’m not so bad, am I?”

Lux raised an eyebrow, as though surprised at the question. Then, he looked her up and down. Once. Twice. He frowned and then, as he stared, the corners of his mouth drifted upwards into a little half-smile.

“No,” he said, finally. “Not bad at all.” And the look in his eyes suddenly changed.

“Ugh,” Ahsoka groaned, rolling her eyes. “Well, it seems boys are the same whether they’re Republic or Separatist.” And she turned her back on him and began to walk away.

Great. She’d come out here to clear her head and now there was this. The last thing she needed was some Separatist boy fawning over her.

“Wait!” She didn’t stop walking through the garden, but Lux caught up with her and started walking beside her. “How many Separatists have you met?”

“What?” Ahsoka asked, a little taken aback.

“Well, I mean, you think we’re all the bad guys,” Lux explained as they neared a gazebo. “But how many of us have _you_ actually met? And droids don’t count.”

Ahsoka actually chuckled a little at that. She thought for a moment.

“Well, other than military officers like Grievous and Ventress . . . none, I guess,” she admitted, stopping. “You and your mother are the first.”

“Well, look at me,” offered Lux, mimicking her as he stepped in front of her and opening his arms wide as if to gesture to himself. “Am I so bad?” There was a rather self-satisfied grin on his face.

Ahsoka really had no choice to glance away. After his earlier implication of her ‘not being so bad,’ to say the same to him would undoubtedly be paramount to flirting. And she had no intention of doing that.

Or . . .

“Well,” she muttered, still unable to meet his gaze. “I . . . guess you’re not _that_ bad.”

Lux laughed. She glared at him.

“No, I’m sorry,” he apologized, still chuckling as he held up his hands in surrender. “It’s just, well . . . you’re blushing furiously.”

And she was: she could feel it. And she smiled all the same.

“Alright,” she said in an exaggeratedly annoyed tone. “ _Maybe_ you’re not so bad yourself.”

* * *

Clone Captain Rex was, for the second time that week, dozing off at his desk. He really should be keeping more alert given yesterday’s bombing of the power generators that resulted in a huge blackout and several overloads and explosions, killing and injuring many civilians, but he just couldn’t help it. Between overseeing several new shinies they’d been sent – Toomer, Sarge, Gunner, Dogma, Tup, and Vill – ordering Echo to put an end to Fives and Chargers’ underground trade of pornographic holozines, organizing their upcoming deployment to Sullust, and keeping an eye on HNE for updates on the bombing, he was just about dead on his feet.

That was, until his wristcomm beeped loudly right next to his ear, forcing him to jolt awake and sit upright in his seat.

Grumbling, Rex answered the call. “Captain Rex here.”

_If this isn’t of dire importance, someone is getting KP for the rest of the week._

“CT-seven-thousand here –”

“Use your kriffing name, Dogma.”

“ _Dogma_ here,” repeated the shiny. Rex rolled his eyes. “Toomer and I are on patrol. We have a perimeter alarm.”

What?

_Another attack?_ It wasn’t impossible.

He was already on his feet – sleep forgotten – and reaching for the helmet that rested on the desk before him. “Where?” he demanded.

“On the roof, sir.” Rex froze.

“Should I raise the alarm?”

Another voice cut in on the call. “Belay that, Dogma,” said Denal in a bored voice. He was the man who happened to be unlucky enough to be coordinating the patrols tonight. “Don’t bother with it, just keep doing your thing.”

“B-But, sir!” Dogma protested. “The alarm! Protocol dictates that we should –”

“Oh, give it a rest,” Denal said. “I’m sure the Captain would be willing to check it out. There’s only one reason the roof sensors would get tripped at this hour; the Commander’s decided to stop in.”

“You mean . . . Commander Tano?” asked Dogma. “What would she be doing on the roof?”

“Beats me.”

“I’ll check it out,” Rex said. “You continue your patrol, Dogma.”

“Copy that, sir,” the kid said obediently. “Over and out.”

The link cut out.

Rex rounded his desk, leaving his helmet behind – he wouldn’t be needing it. He slipped out into the barracks, walking past the dozens of cots with sleeping clone troopers lying on them. It was past midnight. Who knew what the hell Ahsoka was doing on the roof now of all times?

He could guess.

Several hallways and one lift ride later, Rex found himself stepping out onto the roof. The cool night breeze brushed against his face as he walked across the flat surface, coming to stand just a meter or so behind Ahsoka. The Togrutan Padawan sat with her legs dangling out over the edge of the roof and her hands loosely gripping the metal safety railing as she stared out into the night; brightly lit by the lights of windows, businesses, and speeders.

She didn’t speak.

“Hey, kid,” Rex said, making his presence known.

She jumped a bit. _Damn, something’s definitely eating her if she didn’t sense my approach._

She glanced back. “Oh! Hey, Rex,” she mumbled. She returned her gaze to the city. “Don’t call me ‘kid.’”

Yeah, something had definitely put her in one of her glum moods.

“Oh, yeah?” he asked. “Why’s that?” She didn’t answer. Rex did what any soldier did when a battle plan wasn’t working: he changed tactics. “May I?” He gestured to the open space next to her. Ahsoka shrugged, and he took that as a ‘yes.’ He grabbed the safety rail and sat down next to her, his own legs now dangling over the edge just like hers.

Neither of them spoke for a few moments.

“So . . .” Ahsoka muttered, not looking at him. “You hear about my trip to Raxus?”

Did he hear about it? Of course. Captain Ordo from the Special Operations Brigade had given him an earful about his commander fraternizing with the enemy for at least half an hour. Rex snorted. “Yep. I also heard that Skywalker gave you and Amidala some pretty heavy flak for that.”

“Yeah . . .”

“What does that have to do with you not wanting me to call you ‘kid’ anymore?” Rex asked.

“Because I don’t feel like one,” Ahsoka said. “I’m . . . I dunno . . . I’m confused right now.”

“Do you . . . wanna talk about it?” Rex tried.

“I guess I should . . .”

“What exactly happened there?” Rex asked. “Anything crazy?”

“Not crazy like you’re used to,” Ahsoka said. She gave a heavy sigh, finally taking her eyes off of the skyline and looking directly at Rex. “Senator Amidala wanted to talk to her friend, Senator Bonteri. So, I . . . used my status as a Jedi to get the two of us to Mandalore. I said it’d be a ‘meditative retreat.’ Once there, we boarded a cargo ship that took us to Raxus.”

Rex whistled. “Damn. I see why Skywalker wasn’t happy.”

“He would’ve done the same thing,” Ahsoka insisted.

“Maybe . . .” _If Senator Amidala asked him_ real _nicely._

“Anyway, I met Senator Bonteri,” Ahsoka said. “She . . . wasn’t what I was expecting.”

“The CIS is a big movement,” Rex said, drawing upon what little knowledge he had, mostly siphoned from Denal’s HoloNet slicing stints. “Can’t expect everyone to act like Dooku, I guess. There’s probably plenty of normal people that have no idea what’s really happening on the front lines. Plenty of that _here_ , now that I think about it.”

“I guess,” Ahsoka said. “She was just . . . really nice. And . . . wise. But she’s dead now. Apparently, she was killed in a Republic attack today. In retaliation for the bombing here. Except it was really Dooku’s handiwork. And she had a son, Lux. I wonder how he’s doing now . . . He’s my age.” She looked away. She could hide her face, but not the sudden change in her montrals’ striping.

Rex knew what that meant.

_Oh my_ god.

“Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding me . . .”

“ _What_?” Ahsoka demanded, suddenly rounding on him with her eyes narrowed.

“You can’t fool me, k – er, littl’un,” Rex said, not backing down. “Something’s going on here. Spill it.”

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. “Yes, sir.”

Rex coughed, glancing away.

Silence fell again.

“Rex . . . have you ever had a crush on someone?”

“Excuse me?”

“A crush,” Ahsoka said. She was still blushing, but she wasn’t looking away anymore, either. “You know, like, having extra feelings for a certain person . . . like, maybe, uh . . . _romantic_ feelings?”

“Ahsoka,” Rex said, leaning forward and resting his forearms on his thighs, “don’t you think you might be jumping to conclusions about yourself? About this kid? This ‘Lux?’”

“Who said I was talking about Lux?” She was defensive now, and Rex had a strange but no doubt accurate feeling that she was lying.

“Because Vaughn’s put on too many romance flicks on holovid night,” he deadpanned. “I know the signs pretty well by now.”

Ahsoka sighed, shaking her head. “Fine,” she muttered. “Ya got me.” Ahsoka shook her head, her lekku shifting slightly. “I don’t know. He was . . . not bad looking. He was nice even though I was a Jedi and he was a Separatist. We were just kids. He even –” she broke off and gave a weak chuckle, “– he even tried flirting with me a bit. It was . . . cute. I mean yeah, some of the boys’ll flirt with me every now and then, but it’s not serious. It’s just teasing. This was different. No one’s ever looked at me like that before. Or been so brazen about it. That’s not really something that happens to me.”

Rex cringed inwardly but managed to hide it.

Ahsoka stared off into space for a moment, not really looking at anything in particular. He’d give away both his blasters to figure out what was going through her head right then. After the pause became particularly, long, Rex coughed to remind her of his presence.

She shook her head. “Uh, anyway,” she said, “I know that, as a Jedi, I’m not supposed to feel things like that . . . but I don’t know if I can really help it. I don’t know what to do.”

_Shit_.

What the hell did Rex know about any of that? “Ahsoka,” he said. That got her attention. “I . . . don’t think I’m the best person to ask about all that. I’m just a clone. We don’t know anything about any of that.” _Except for Bly and Fox and Cut and – fuck it, that’s not helping my case._ “Shouldn’t you be asking someone else? Like Riyo or Commander Offee or Commander Suduri?”

“Barriss and Trilla are Jedi; they have a preconceived notion about all this,” Ahsoka sighed. “And Riyo . . . well . . . I think we both know what’s going on with her. She’d be a little biased.” She smiled momentarily and Rex chuckled. “The point is . . . Rex, I trust you to tell me what you really think and not spout some ideals or whatever.”

“That, er, means a lot,” Rex said.

And it did. Didn’t make the situation any less awkward. Rex suddenly found that he wanted very badly to tell her to stay the hell away from this Lux kid, who had seemingly dropped out of the sky just to hit on her. But . . . was that really what he _should_ do? It wasn’t his place to order Ahsoka around in her own love life that was totally, _completely_ , not his business and never, _ever_ , would be. Besides, he had never really agreed with the whole unfeeling, unloving Jedi bit. Skywalker probably didn’t either – not that Rex had any concrete evidence of that; only hunches – and he was the best Jedi Rex knew.

“Well,” he started, fretfully scratching at the back of his neck, “I guess I should tell you to . . . I dunno . . . Don’t take this the wrong way, but I think your Jedi Code puts too many impossible restrictions on Jedi; harms them more than helps sometimes. If . . . you think you’ve got a ‘crush’ or whatever on this Lux kid, then that’s on you what you want to do with it. I’m not gonna tell you that you can’t or shouldn’t think about it. But I’m definitely _not_ gonna tell you to pursue it, either. If you’re asking me if I think you feeling these things is bad, then my answer is: no, I don’t think it’s bad. From what I understand, this is normal for teenagers. Let alone most sentient beings.”

“I . . .” Ahsoka said, looking at him strangely. “I guess I need to think about it.” She looked back at the city. “Thank you, Rex.”

He gave a short chuckle. “I try,” he said. “I think that was pretty good for a twelve-year-old with no life experience in stuff like that.”

“Yeah,” she smiled. “Maybe I should ask Fox.”

“He’d bite your head off.”

“You’ve got a point there.”

“You could try Attie,” Rex joked. “He seems to think he’s having some luck with that Seventy-Nine’s bartender, Tann.”

“Keyword: thinks.” She was grinning in earnest now. “I dunno where he thinks that’s going, but I’ll be shocked if anything ever actually happens.”

“It’ll be a kriffing miracle.”

“Rex,” Ahsoka put a hand on his shoulder. “I just want to say thank you. You . . . you mean a lot to me and . . . I don’t think I say it enough. You help me out in ways that I’m not even sure you realize you do.”

_What’s that supposed to mean?_

“Er . . . I’m happy to help, littl’un,” Rex said, nodding. “I’ve got your back now, and I’ll have your back until the end. Whatever and whenever that might be.” He made to stand.

Ahsoka grabbed his forearm. “Do you . . . have anything you need to be doing?” she asked, almost nervously.

“Er . . . I suppose not,” Rex said. “Do you need anything else?”

“Well, no . . . It’s just . . . Do you want to sit out here for a while? Look at the city?”

_I should sleep. I should check my reports. I should monitor the patrols. I should plan our next training sessions._

_But I’m not going to do any of that, am I?_

“Yeah,” he heard himself saying. “Okay.” He settled back into his ‘seat.’

And they fell asleep right there on the roof, leaning against the safety railing.

* * *

“Have you seen Rex?” Echo asked, flagging Denal down as they crossed paths in the hallway. “I was supposed to deliver my report on certain . . . ‘illicit activities’ to him at oh-seven-hundred, but he’s not in his office.”

“No,” Denal shook his head. “I haven’t seen him this morning.”

“Do you know where he might be?”

“No. I –” _No way . . ._ “Wait a minute,” he said, thinking back to the previous night. “I think I know where we might find him. Follow me.” The ARC trooper looked a little confused but followed as Denal turned and led him down the hall, heading for the barracks’ main lift. The one he knew would get them onto the roof.

“Denal, what –”

“You’ll see,” he assured Echo, grinning.

The pair rode the lift all the way up to the roof. When the door slid open, Denal stepped out onto the top of the building and looked around. Indeed, he saw exactly what he thought he’d see. Walking towards the front of the building, he saw two forms leaning against the frontal safety railing.

They drew closer.

“Oh,” said Echo, folding his arms as Denal smirked. “I see what you mean.”

Rex and Commander Tano had fallen asleep against the railing. He’d never left the roof last night. His arms were crossed and his forehead rested against them. Commander Tano’s hands were folded in her lap and her head rested against Rex’s shoulder. They were very clearly at peace.

“How long do ya give ‘em?” Denal asked.

“Before . . .?”

“One of ‘em realizes how much they mean to the other,” he clarified. “And I mean _really_.”

Echo scratched his jaw, looking thoughtful. After a few moments, he spoke.

“Before the end of the year, probably,” Echo surmised. “They’ve gotta be hitting fever pitch by now. Maybe less than six months depending on how things go. They’re walking a dangerous line, though . . .”

“I know,” Denal nodded. “But that’s nothing compared to Rex’s, er . . .”

“Force thing?” Echo asked. He nodded. “Yeah. You, me, Coric, and Fives are the only ones who really know about that. I’m sure the Commander has her suspicions, but who knows if she’ll do anything about it.”

“You think we should wake them up?” Denal asked.

Echo frowned for a moment. “No,” he said. “Let ‘em sleep; they probably need it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One Point Perspective - Arctic Monkeys
> 
> I'm sure part of this chapter was like pulling teeth for some of you lol, but I tried to make it as believable and interesting as possible nonetheless.
> 
> The timeline with Argonar is a bit spotty. According to the wiki, it takes place in very early 22 BBY, but Mina Bonterri says "a year ago today" in 20 BBY. I went with the wiki, just because it made things easier from a story perspective.


	3. Disorder

**Corridor aboard the _Resolute_ , Over Sullust**

Rex stumbled backward into the bulkhead as something in the ship gave.

_Deflector shields? Thrusters?_

He wasn’t sure, but only a moment later, the lights began to flash red and the droning alarm sounded throughout the ship.

_Oh, shit . . ._

“Captain!” A group of troopers – Hil, Ando, Arno, Dandy, and Charger – were bolting down the corridor towards him, stumbling a bit as the _Resolute_ rocked once more.

“Sergeant Ando, what’s going on?” Rex demanded as the clones drew near.

“We’re in bad shape, sir,” Ando reported. “Our shields are gone. The starboard engines have been destroyed and one of the bridges has been taken out. The _Resolute_ is going down; we have to evacuate!”

After all this time, the _Resolute’s_ days were finally numbered. It had been Skywalker’s flagship since shortly after the Battle of Teth in the first year of the war. And now they had to get the hell off of it.

“Who’s on board?” Rex demanded, shouting over the alarm as he led the way down the corridor at a brisk pace. He needed to take control of the situation. “How much time do we have?”

“Generals Skywalker and Kenobi have engaged the enemy in their personal fighters,” explained Arno. “Blue and Shadow squadrons are active as well. Gold Squadron is coordinating evac in the main hanger. There’s plenty of crew members and troopers still aboard but are making their way to escape vessels. Admiral Yularen and Commander Tano are still here as well. Best estimate is that we have forty-five minutes before the ship’s completely destroyed.”

Yularen _and_ Ahsoka were still onboard?

_Of course. First in, last out or some shit._

He needed that taken care of while he rallied the men. “Alright, listen,” he said. “Come with me; we can –”

_Boom!_

A deafening explosion rocked the ship, causing all the clones to stumble and crash into the walls around them. That didn’t sound good – something had definitely just been wrecked. Rex’s hand flew to his helmet commlink.

“Bridge!” he barked. “This is Rex. Come in, bridge!”

“Rex,” responded a worried voice, “this is Captain Drayk. I read you.”

“What the hell just happened?”

“Tri-fighter strafing run,” Drayk reported. “Extreme damage to the aft section. We’re getting reports of several evacuation teams getting caught in the blast. KIA and wounded reports just skyrocketed.”

Nothing was ever simple, was it?

Rex was momentarily torn. What first? Ahsoka and the Admiral, or the men? _What would Ahsoka want him to do?_

_Both._

Rex cut the link, rounding on his impromptu squad. “Arno,” he said, pointing at the trooper, who straightened. “Get to the bridge and assist Drayk, Commander Tano, and the Admiral. Get them all to the evac zone on the double. Ando – go to the hanger bay. Get Denal, Coric, Appo – _whoever_ – and make sure things run as smoothly as possible. Charger, Dandy, Hil – you’re coming with me. We need to make sure anyone caught in that blast who’s still alive can make it out.”

“Sir, yes, sir!”

They all scrambled to carry out his orders.

Arno darted back down the corridor in the direction he had arrived from. Ando ran down a side passage. Charger, Dandy, and Hil formed up on Rex and followed him as he continued down the hallway at a run. As they moved down corridor after corridor, Rex accessed the ship’s datastream with a few blinks. Automatic updates from the ship’s computers filtered into his HUD.

His eyes scanned the ship’s schematics, searching for the exact block where the damage had taken place. He found the spot just one level below and a few halls toward the side of the ship. He searched for ID numbers, attempting to figure out who exactly was down there. He counted ten numbers. Two squads.

_Okay, who are the sergeants? Who am I going after?_

CT-1284. CS-2207.

Del and Boomer.

The group reached a door and Charger slammed his fist into the activation button. The metal slab flew open and the four clones slipped inside the lift, and Rex hit the button that would take them to the floor below.

“Dandy, how much time do we have?” Hil asked.

“Forty minutes.”

“That’s not a lot of time to rescue these guys and get to the hangar, sir,” Charger said.

“We’re not leaving them behind when they could be rescued,” Rex maintained. He wasn’t going to leave men behind to die on a Republic cruiser of all places.

“Of course not.”

The lift doors opened once more, allowing the four men to scramble out into the hall and head left down the corridor they had emerged into. As they ran, the ship shook again, this time in a much more prolonged manner. There was a sudden, loud explosion from behind that caused Rex to stop and look back. Some of the internal wiring in the ceiling had become unstable. A sudden explosion of sparks, fire, and metal had shot down from above in a violent outburst, knocking a pair of troopers off their feet. Neither moved. The lights around them suddenly flickered.

“We need to keep moving. We don’t have much time!” Dandy urged.

The four troopers kept moving. Hallway after hallway. After only a few minutes, Rex began to smell fire and smoke. Heard the shouts of his men. Felt the temperature rise slightly. They were nearing the scene of the incident. They turned another corner and suddenly there they were.

Half of the corridor in front of them had collapsed. Twisted durasteel and debris crowded the once open space. Fire spewed from open vents and electricity sparked from wires that had come loose in the walls and the ceiling. Several troopers were trapped beneath the debris, and several others were trying to dig them out.

“Captain!” shouted Boomer, glancing back upon noticing their arrival. He was crouched over Attie, who was lying injured on the ground, his armor slightly blackened. “Over here!”

Rex and his men made their way toward the group, ducking and maneuvering around debris and fire as they went. “What’s the situation, Boomer?” Rex demanded as they drew even with the Sergeant.

“It’s not good, sir,” interrupted Del, who had just appeared to their left, clutching his stomach and supported by Nax. “Ridge and Zeer are still trapped in there.”

“So is Wayzz,” Boomer reported. “Fu’s dead. Nino and Glaz already made it out; they’re safe.”

“We have to get in there and extract the others,” Rex said. There was no time to worry; he could do that later when he second-guessed all of his decisions. Right now, there was only room for action. “Dandy – stay here and make sure the wounded are alright. Help Boomer and Nax get them clear. Charger, Hil – come with me.”

“Yes, sir!” chorused the men.

As Dandy leaned down to help Boomer lift Attie of the floor, Rex and the others stepped forward again; toward the heap of rubble. On the left side of the corridor, he saw a narrow opening – only just wide and tall enough for someone to squeeze through. Rex, always the first into the fray, attempted to step through.

And the small square protrusion on his backplate caught on the edge, not allowing him to move any deeper into the wreckage.

_Shit._

“I’m stuck,” Rex spat. “Armor won’t fit through.”

“Wait, I got it,” Charger said. He stepped forward and grabbed the heap of durasteel blocking most of the corridor. With an immense groan, he pressed his feet firmly into the ground and pulled with all his might. Rex felt the metal shift slightly, and suddenly he was able to step further into the damaged area.

“Charger?”

“Go!” he spat, strain apparent in his voice. “I’ll keep it open. Hil, get in there!”

“On it!”

Rex ducked to avoid a low-hanging rail and shimmied forward, feeling Hil begin to do the same behind him. Suddenly, his helmet comm went off.

“Rex?” It was Ahsoka. “Rex! Where are you? Why aren’t you in the hangar? We need to evacuate!”

Groaning, Rex blinked to activate his microphone. “I know,” he said. “I’ll be there soon, but I’ve got three men trapped in a debris-filled corridor near the barracks. I’ve got to get them out.”

“Rex, the ship’s falling apart fast!”

“I’m _not_ leaving my men!”

“I-I know,” Ahsoka stammered. She paused. “Hold on; I’m coming to help. I can –”

“No!” Rex barked. He was _not_ going to place her in danger. “Just get off the ship. Evacuate with the others. Do not come here! Do you hear me?” Nothing. “Commander Tano? Ahoska!” He switched off the link. “Damn it!”

“What’s wrong, sir?” Hil asked as they kept moving.

“Commander Tano’s on her way,” Rex grunted.

“Now?” Hil said in disbelief. He shook his head. “We have to hurry.”

“I know.”

“Hello?” called a slightly panicked voice from somewhere up ahead. “Is someone there?”

“It’s Captain Rex!” Rex called back. “Hil and I are here to get you out. Who’s there?”

“It’s Ridge!” called the voice.

“Is anyone with you?”

“Zeer’s here; he’s unconscious!” Ridge called back. “And Wayzz. He’s holding up some debris.”

Rex reached forward and shoved at a slab of hot metal, pushing it out of his way as carefully as he could to avoid having the whole hallway cave in on them. And then he saw them.

The three clones were in quite the predicament, to say the least. Ridge and Zeer were both on the floor. Ridge was on his knees, using his legs to press his back up against the bulkhead, clutching his left arm as he attempted to keep the metal from crushing him. Zeer lay flat on his back under some debris, unmoving. Wayzz, clad in ARF trooper armor just like Boomer, was standing beside Ridge, using both his hands to help the other trooper with keeping the bulkhead back. Zeer lay flat on his back under some debris, unmoving.

“Is Zeer alright?” Hil asked urgently.

“I think so,” Ridge said, glancing back at them as they stepped closer. “When this place caved, he got thrown into the wall. Hit his head. He’s breathing, though.”

“We’re getting you out of here,” Rex assured the men.

Hil stepped forward and grabbed Zeer under his arms. Putting his back into it, he pulled, dragging the injured clone away from the other two.

“Get Ridge out of here,” Wayzz said, grunting as he continued to press against the bulkhead. “I can take the weight.”

“Are you sure?” Rex asked.

“Someone’s gotta hold this until you get clear,” maintained the ARF trooper, his voice hard. “It’s gotta be me.”

He wasn’t going to make it out. Rex knew that. He knew that. But Wayzz was going to make sure that his two injured brothers made it to safety. He had Rex’s respect for that.

“You’re doing good, soldier,” Rex said, giving Wayzz a respectful nod. “Ridge. Come on.” He inched forward and held out a hand to the other soldier.

Ridge took his hand and allowed himself to be slowly pulled to his feet. He looked back at Wayzz. “Thank you,” he rasped.

“Just go,” Wayzz grunted. “Get going!”

Rex hauled Ridge away from Wayzz and the debris, leaving the other soldier to struggle to hold up the bulkhead on his own.

“You go first,” Hil said, lifting Zeer as best he could. “You can get Ridge out easier than I can get Zeer out.”

Rex nodded, helping Ridge back toward the undamaged area of the corridor.

_Boom!_

The ship shook suddenly, and Rex both heard and felt the explosion behind him. He jumped. Rex whipped around. Wayzz was gone. All that was in the debris-filled hallway now was fire.

“Go, hurry!” Hil urged.

“Flatten yourself,” Rex ordered Ridge. The pair of themselves pressed against the edge of the hallway and began to shimmy back towards safety. “Charger! We’re coming back!”

“On it!”

The debris groaned again, and Rex saw the exit hole just ahead of them widen a bit. It was a tight squeeze, and Ridge had to flatten his injured arm to his side in order to make it through, but they managed it. As Ridge flopped to the floor and clutched at his arm in pain, scrambling away from the hole, Rex stepped forward again. Hil had just managed to slide Zeer into an upright position and was pushing him through the little tunnel.

“Rex!”

His head whipped around.

Ahsoka had rounded the corner and was bounding toward them.

“Stay back!” he shouted, waving at her frantically and causing the Padawan to skid to a halt. “This corridor’s unstable; it’s not safe!” He turned back to Zeer and Hil. The unconscious clone was almost through. Hil was just behind him; keeping him upright and pushing him forward.

“Grab him!” Hil shouted. “He’s almost through.”

Rex stepped forward and grasped Zeer’s right shoulder with both hands, ready to pull him through the hole. And then several things happened at once.

Another explosion rocked the ship. The bulkhead began to collapse. Fire bloomed on the other side of the tunnel. Rex felt a huge, invisible hand grab him from behind and yank him away. He was suddenly flying backward through the air. Half a second later, he was lying flat on his back on the cold metal floor. Zeer’s limp body was draped atop him, and Ahsoka was staring down at him, looking worried.

“Are you okay?” She grabbed one of his shoulders and pulled him up into a sitting position.

As Zeer slid off Rex’s chest, he saw that Charger and Ridge were also on the ground beside him, picking himself up. Ahead, the debris that had been obliterated. All that was left now was a twisted, fiery crater. Hil was gone.

“Hil,” Rex muttered, half reaching for the burning wreckage.

“I know,” Ahsoka groaned, sorrow dripping from her words. “I _know_! But had to save you four.”

“Sir,” Charger said, standing. “We have to go. This ship’s going down at any moment!”

Ahsoka helped Rex to his feet. He glanced around. Boomer, Del, Nax, and Attie were gone; they must already have made it to safety with Dandy. At least, he hoped so. There wouldn’t be time to go after them now if they hadn’t. He still had three men to save.

“The hangar’s too far,” Rex said, pulling himself together. “There’re escape pods nearby; we’ll use those. Come on, hurry!”

Rex let go of Ahsoka as Charger knelt and pulled Zeer up onto his shoulder. Along with Ridge, they began running for one of the neighboring corridors.

“I thought I told you to _stay away_ ,” Rex scolded, glancing down at Ahsoka on his right.

“Would you have stayed away if it was me?” Ahsoka shot back. _Damn her._ You and the others were in danger! I had to try and do something.”

“If Skywalker was here –”

“Well he’s not,” Ahsoka cut him off. “So I’m the one calling the shots.” She was getting a lot more confident in her command.

“Over here!” called Ridge, who had pulled ahead. He had stopped in front of the ramp leading to one of the escape pods. “This one’s still here!”

He jammed his uninjured fist into the controls and the door slid open. He stepped inside, followed quickly by Ahsoka. Rex stayed at the door, waiting for Charger to catch up with Zeer. The two of them shuffled past and into the safety of the pod. Rex darted in after them and instantly his the eject button to his left. The door to the craft slid shut. Its thrusters activated and it shot out of its holding area; out into the vastness of space. They were not completely safe. The space battle was still raging on out there, but the pod had launched toward one of the other Republic cruisers. It was likely that they’d get picked up before anything happened to them. Likely, but not guaranteed. Not that any of them could really do anything about that. There was nothing for them to do but sit and wait for help or death.

As they watched, the Resolute finally exploded in a great ball of fire. Large pieces of the wreckage drifted this way and that in space, propelled only by the force of the initial explosion.

“God . . . it’s actually gone,” muttered Ridge, slumping against one of the seats. “And here was I thinking the _Resolute_ was gonna last the entire war.”

“Nothing lasts forever,” Charger said, sounding uncharacteristically sober. He placed Zeer in one of the seats and strapped him in. “But I’ll admit: I’m surprised the ship didn’t.”

Rex leaned against the side of the pod, still staring out at the wreckage of the ship. Familiar fingers slipped into his own. Ahsoka had appeared at his side.

“I’m sorry about Hil,” she said in a low, downcast voice. “I tried to pull him out too, but I wasn’t fast enough.”

Rex sighed. “It’s okay.” She had tried. And that was all that mattered. She couldn’t save everyone. Neither could Rex. But they did what they could.

“And I’m sorry for disobeying you. I just wanted to help.”

“No,” Rex said, reaching up and removing his helmet. “You were right. All of us might be dead right now if you hadn’t shown up. I was . . . I was being stupid. I knew you could help, but I didn’t want to put you in danger.” It was an instinct he _shouldn’t_ have. His commander – his friend – was more than capable of both handling herself and helping the men who needed it. She’d proved that time and time again.

And yet that instinct was there all the same.

“General Skywalker’s not going to be happy,” Ridge said, looking out at the ship.

“ _I’m_ not happy,” Charger commented. “We just lost our ship, probably a lot of men, who knows how much equipment, and a lot of our personal possessions.”

“We managed to evacuate most of the men,” Ahsoka piped up. “Drayk, Yularen, and I had almost everyone rounded up in a few minutes. I think the casualties are fairly light.”

_A small miracle._

“As for personal possessions . . . I don’t think those can be replaced,” Ahsoka said, looking sad.

“Something on your mind?” Rex asked.

She paused for a moment and bit her lip, as though she wasn’t sure if she should say anything. Then she spoke. “I had a datapad,” she confessed. It was under my pillow in my quarters. It had the names and numbers and some personal information about some of the clones that I knew. That died. Like Redeye, and Trap, and Scythe. I didn’t have time to get it, so it’s gone now.”

Silence fell in the escape pod.

Ahsoka looked around, suddenly worried. “Was that too much?” she fretted. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it to be weird, I just . . .”

“No,” Ridge shook his head. “I can’t say I mind at all. It’s . . . nice that you remember them like that. I’m sure they’d appreciate it.”

“That’s all I want after _I_ die,” Charger said, “to be remembered by a pretty girl.”

Rex shot him a look.

“Sorry,” he said, glancing away. “Bad joke. Not the time.”

“Well, it’s gone now,” Ahsoka said, looking out the viewport. “No chance of getting it back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disorder - Joy Division
> 
> Left that fluff behind and immediately went right back into war.
> 
> I actually didn't know the Resolute got destroyed at Sullust until I started writing this. Always assumed it was some other ship


	4. Next

**Outside Eedit Temple, Deveron**

“Situation?”

“Token defense. Not much else.”

“Guess they’re not too worried about our old base, huh?”

“Keep the chatter to a minimum; we don’t know if they’re watching the comm channels.”

“Give me numbers.”

“Two squads of cannon fodder. Four SBDs. One commando droid,” said the gravelly voice over the commlink.

As the rain pattered against his helmet, the clone peered through the darkness and around the immense vines that had overtaken the main walkway. The temple that had once been the Republic’s stronghold on the planet had fallen only a few days ago. Because contact had been lost without any warning, the GAR had decided to send in an elite, covert ops unit to discern the situation.

In other words, them.

“Pick your targets,” advised the clone. “No explosives. We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves.”

“Copy that.”

“Count us down, Fixer.”

“Three . . . two . . . one.”

The report of a blaster rifle split the air. Two of the battle droids fell, taken out by a single shot. Instantly, the droids were on alert. They raised their weapons, scanning the surrounding area but finding nothing.

“Intruders!” said the commando droid. “Call this in and request reinforcements.”

One of the battle droids fumbled with a communicator for a few moments, but nothing happened. Everything was going according to plan.

“I-I can’t!” sputtered the droid. “We’re being jammed!”

“Find the interlopers,” the commando ordered.

As the tinnies made to form up and divide into search groups, a dark form dropped from one of the vines and onto the walkway. The somewhat bulky figure reached into its belt, withdrew a small, round object, and tossed it at the pair of hulking super battle droids. As the two metal abominations turned their firing arms on the figure, the round object bounced along the floor and came to rest at their feet.

Then, it detonated, sending a ripple of electric energy sparking across their dark forms. The two droids instantly stiffened and crumpled to the ground.

The other droids, alerted to their attacker, all trained their blaster rifles on him.

At that point, Boss and Fixer both vaulted onto the walkway, directly behind where the droids had positioned themselves. As Fixer opened fire with his DC-17m, Boss rushed forward and activated the vibroblade that was stored in his gauntlet. He grabbed onto the commando droid from behind and rammed the blade into its fragile neck before yanking upwards and decapitating the wretched thing.

As the remaining droids swiveled toward him, they were caught in a deadly crossfire. Fixer in front, Scorch from behind, Sev from above.

It was over in moments.

“Excellent work, gentlemen,” Boss said, retracting his vibroblade into his gauntlet as the other three clone commandos emerged from the surrounding shadows and formed up on him.

“Ah, I love it when a plan comes together,” Scorch quipped, stowing his DC-17m on his belt and clapping his hands together in a jovial manner. “Those clankers didn’t know what hit them.” He kicked the head of a fallen droid.

“And we should keep it that way,” Sev advised, dropping off of one of the vines. “The Seps control the planet now. We need to do our job and get lost.”

“He’s right,” Fixer concurred. “Though, looking around, that shouldn’t take us very long. I don’t think anyone could’ve survived this.”

Boss glanced around. Aside from the carcasses of the droids they’d just scrapped, there were dozens of white-armored bodies strewn across the walkway. Behind them, just in front of the entrance to the Eedit Temple, there were even more. There would be much to wade through.

“Spread out,” Boss ordered, waving one arm. “Check as many bodies as you can; use your scanners to check for any signs of life.”

As the four clone commandos split up and began checking the bodies of the fallen, Boss began to notice a strange pattern appearing. Everyone was dead; that was pretty clear. But not all of the clones had been killed by blaster bolts. In fact, it seemed like the majority of the Republic forces had been killed by blunt force trauma or some sort of vibroblade.

_Strange_.

Then, a corpse that was neither clone nor battle droid caught Boss’ attention. Stepping closer, he crouched beside the dead body and examined it. No pulse. Open eyes. Robes. Roonan. Male. In the center of his chest was a large puncture wound soaked with now dried blood.

Boss’ foot collided with a small, metal object.

He picked it up.

Lightsaber.

_Shit._

With a few blinks, Boss brought up the list of known GAR forces stationed on Deveron. He scanned the long row of names and ID numbers, searching for a Jedi. There. Roonan Jedi Master Halsey. Now KIA. But there was another Jedi here, according to the files. A Padawan. That meant –

“I’ve got a Jedi here,” called a voice that was not his own. Boss looked up to see Scorch and Sev standing over another body just in front of the temple’s entrance. In Sev’s hand was yet another lightsaber.

Judging by the mass of headtails, the body was a Nautolan.

Boss brought up the list again, just to check. Yep; Nautolan Jedi Padawan Knox.

Two dead Jedi in one battle. Along with an entire unit of clones. Whatever happened here, it had been a massacre.

The four commandos reconvened.

“What do you think?” Scorch asked, looking around. “General Grievous? Not many Seppies that could take out a whole clone force _and_ two Jedi. ‘Specially now that Ventress is dead.”

“No,” Fixer said, shaking his head and bending to pick up General Halsey’s lightsaber. “Both lightsabers are still here. Grievous would’ve taken them as trophies.”

“He’s right,” Boss nodded. “And the Good General doesn’t use vibroblades, he uses ‘sabers. There’s too much blood here for that. I think we’re dealing with something we don’t know about yet.”

“Great . . .” Sev muttered, clipping the fallen Padawan’s lightsaber to his belt. “What should we do?”

“Fixer,” Boss said, “slice into the temple’s security system and download as much raw data as you can; troop numbers, holofeeds, whatever. We’ll decode it later. Do it fast.”

“On it,” the clone nodded, jogging towards the temple itself.”

“Anything else?” Scorch asked. “Or should the rest of us just sit around?”

Boss glanced about. They didn’t have much time, and there was no way they could police so many bodies with so little time. He knew which ones the Republic would really want, though.

Not the clones.

“Retrieve the two Jedi,” he ordered. “We’ll take them back and inform the Republic what happened. Leave the others.”

“Yes, sir.”

Nobody liked that.

* * *

Obi-Wan stood alongside Adi Gallia, Plo Koon, and Saesee Tiin on a landing platform on top of the Jedi Temple. It was nighttime. It was also raining. Not exactly ideal conditions. Still, their special forces team from Deveron had returned. According to their leader, they had urgent news to be delivered to the Jedi Council concerning the events that had transpired there.

Everyone was anxious to hear what had occurred.

So, there they were, standing there and getting wet as the _Nu-_ class shuttle touched down before them. The front door slid open, revealing the four hulking clone commandos as they disembarked, their bright blue visors illuminating the night. As the clones disembarked and approached the Jedi, two hovercaskets followed them.

_Oh, no . . ._

“There were no survivors on Deveron,” reported the squad’s leader, Boss. “Everyone was killed, including Master Halsey and his Padawan.”

“In the past,” mused Adi Gallia, placing her hand atop Master Halsey’s coffin and looking down at it forlornly, “only Dooku’s assassin was capable of such an effort, but she was presumed dead at the Battle of Sullust.” She glanced over at Obi-Wan.

That was true. Over Sullust, after Ventress had managed to critically strike the _Resolute_ , Obi-Wan and Anakin had managed to pin her down in the hangar of one of the Separatist ships. A duel had ensued, with Ventress on the losing end. The ship had gone down, though the two Jedi had managed to escape. Ventress had not.

“Not everything is what it seems,” said Master Plo, folding his arms and looking on, his expression unreadable behind his mask and goggles, as always. “There may be a new threat. Someone or something has eluded us. Perhaps a newly appointed Sith Lord.”

“Perhaps . . .” muttered Saesee Tiin. He turned toward the clones. “Perhaps you could shed some light on how the Jedi were killed?”

“The troopers were killed by blaster bolts, blunt-force trauma, and strikes from a vibroblade,” reported one of the other commandos, Sev. “Padawan Knox was killed by blunt-force trauma. Master Halsey was killed by a vibroblade impaling him through his torso.”

Obi-Wan stroked his beard as Master Gallia and Master Tiin pondered this line of thought. Personally, he wasn’t so sure. Yes, Dooku would certainly be interested in acquiring a new apprentice or servant now that Ventress had finally been dealt with, but the wounds on the bodies were not consistent with a lightsaber. Nor was there any sense of style or tutelage associated with the manner in which such wounds were inflicted.

Only violence.

“This is not the work of a Sith Lord or a Jedi,” Obi-Wan said, “but a reckless, impulsive animal.”

Dark times were ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next- The Weeknd
> 
> A short chapter for today, but Delta Squad is introduced!


	5. The Chamber

**T-6 shuttle, Toydaria**

“You really think we can trust this Mother Talzin?” Anakin asked as he piloted the shuttle towards the landing platform outside of the Toydarian Royal Palace. “We _are_ talking about the same planet that produced Ventress and Darth Maul. Doesn’t exactly strike me as a trustworthy place.”

“In order to grasp at straws,” his former Master mused, “we need straws. If this Savage Opress she mentioned is indeed the beast we are looking for, we really have no choice but to follow him. Mother Talzin’s vision is as good a lead as any.”

“I guess.” Anakin’s eyes scanned the platform that drew ever closer as he activated the landing gear. “Wait. Look!” He pointed, drawing Obi-Wan’s attention to the other ship that was already stationed outside the Palace.

A Geonosian _Punworrcca 116_ -class solar sailer. The exact type of ship favored by Count Dooku.

The witch had been telling the truth.

“I see it,” Obi-Wan said, sounding tense. Anakin set the shuttle down on the landing pad. Actually, ‘set’ was a very generous word; he practically skidded across the platform. “ _Anakin_.” There was no time for proper procedures or anything like that. If this Savage Opress was already inside the palace, he was no doubt wreaking havoc. They had to stop him.

“C’mon!” Anakin urged, turning and bolting for the exit ramp.

He heard Obi-Wan right on his heels. The pair ran from the ship and darted across the landing platform. There were no Toydarians waiting to receive them. Instead, the two Jedi came upon a group of dead and injured royal guards lying upon the ground.

“He’s already inside,” Anakin surmised, brushing past the guards and running into the open palace doors, his lightsaber in his hand and ready to be activated at a moment’s notice.

“What could he possibly be here for?” Obi-Wan wondered as they ran down brightly-lit, red-carpeted corridors.

“It’s the royal palace,” Anakin pointed out, nearly rolling his eyes. “He’s obviously after King Katuunko.”

And he was proven correct upon reaching the throne room. Across the long corridor that led up to the King’s audience pedestal, a hulking Zabrak stood atop a repulsor platform. He was clad in black body armor with several menacing spikes protruding from his shoulders. A long lightsaber was clipped to his belt. The horns atop his black and green head were abnormally long. Over one shoulder, he hefted the unconscious form of Katuunko.

_At least we’re not too late._

“At last,” Obi-Wan said, drawing his own lightsaber.

As one, they rushed forward, stepping onto separate repulsor platforms and rising up into the air to meet their foe. Letting out a barely audible grunt, the creature known as Savage Opress grabbed his lightsaber in one hand and leapt onto Obi-Wan’s platform, igniting the apparently double-sided blade. He engaged Anakin’s former Master with one hand, the other still clutching onto the Toydarian.

He was impressive, even if he was just a mindless killing machine.

After only a few traded blows, Obi-Wan jumped backward off the platform, dodging a blow that would have cut him in half, and landed on the audience pedestal. Seizing the opportunity, Anakin reached out with the Force and grabbed the floating platform that Savage had previously vacated and sent it flying towards him.

Without time to react, he was unprepared when the platform collided with his own, setting him off-balance. All that jostling around seemed to jar King Katuunko awake. The Toydarian wriggled frantically out from Savage’s grip, using his small wings to propel him up into the air, free.

Anakin and Obi-Wan jumped onto Savage, their combined weight knocking him to the floor of his platform as the King flew for safety. Grunting in anger, one of Savage’s arms shot out from the pile of bodies that was him, Anakin, and Obi-Wan, reaching for Katuunko, who was pulled up short and reached for his throat, struggling for air.

_He can use the Force?_

They hadn’t known that before.

Caught off-guard, Anakin was surprised when the Zabrak’s elbow shot back, catching him full in the face and sending him stumbling backward. Obi-Wan let out a sudden yelp, signaling that he too had been struck.

_Crack!_

Anakin looked up at the noise. He only caught a glimpse of the King’s body falling to the floor before Savage made an explosive movement with his body, sending both him and Obi-Wan flying backward through the air. Acting quickly, Anakin managed to catch hold of the edge of one of the floating platforms with his left hand as he sailed past it, stopping himself from flying into the wall. He reached out with one hand, catching Obi-Wan’s arm and preventing him from suffering a similar fate.

There was no time for thanks, however.

Looking up, he suddenly saw Opress standing over them, growling with an intense look of hatred darkening his already admittedly ugly features. Then his boot came down on Anakin’s fingers. Hard. Hot pain shot through his nerves, forcing him to instinctively release the platform and sending himself and Obi-Wan falling down towards the floor. It was a jarring but thankfully nonlethal impact. And then the repulsor platform shot down toward them, its gravity generator clearly damaged. As the two Jedi reached out their hands and tapped into the Force, shifting the trajectory of the falling platform so that it missed them by only inches.

“Anakin!” Obi-Wan said, scrambling out from beneath the platform. “Anakin, are you alright?”

“I’m – _fine_ , Master,” Anakin coughed, pushing the heavy semi-spherical slab of metal away so that he could right himself as well. “But he’s getting away!”

Savage had disappeared; he was no longer in the throne room.

“Does he have Katuunko?”

“The King is dead,” Anakin spat. “That sleemo snapped his neck while we tried to restrain him.”

“But –”

“Come on, we have to catch him!”

Anakin once more ignited his lightsaber and bolted from the room, running back toward the landing platform where he knew the Zabrak must be headed. Now that he’d completed his assassination, he had to escape. Unless he planned on finding a new ship, he needed to head back to his solar sailer.

_He’s_ not _getting away._

But, as it turned out, he was. By the time Anakin and Obi-Wan reached the landing pad, it was completely empty. _Empty? But that doesn’t make any sense. Where’s . . . Our ship!_

Over one side of the platform, Anakin could see a long trail of smoke billowing up from somewhere below. Stepping closer he saw the fiery wreckage of the T-6 shuttle they had arrived on.

“I guess _that’s_ what’s left of our ship,” he grumbled, shaking his head. Now what?

“We’ll borrow one from the Toydarians,” Obi-Wan said, resourceful as ever. “Come on!”

* * *

Obi-Wan stood just beside Anakin, lightsaber activated, as they entered some sort of observation room aboard the Separatist dreadnaught that they had discovered orbiting Toydaria. It wasn’t hard to zero-in on the Force signature of Savage Opress. It was dark. Feral, almost. Obi-Wan hadn’t felt anything like it ever before. That uniqueness wasn’t exactly a good thing.

Savage stood in the middle of the empty room, lightsaber already activated, his back to them, as though he had already been in the middle of a fight. _But that doesn’t make any sense. Who would he have been fighting?_ There wasn’t anyone else around. In any case, he still had to be brought to justice.

“We’ll take him together,” Obi-Wan said as he and Anakin stepped into the room.

“Right.”

Apparently alerted to their presence, Savage turned and glared angrily at them. Obi-Wan could feel the Dark Side closing in around him, as though he were some sort of magnet for it. Without warning, the beast let out a deep roar and charged forward, raising both arms towards the Jedi.

The wave of energy hit them with the force of a repulsortruck, sending them both flying back out into the corridor and into the adjacent wall. Barely a moment had passed before Savage darted out into the hall with them. Instead of engaging them, however, he ran away. Right in the direction that Obi-Wan and Anakin had come from. He was heading toward the hangar.

_He doesn’t want to fight anymore? Why the sudden change of heart?_

“Come on!” said Anakin, already on his feet. “We can’t let him get away!”

Looking to keep up with his former Apprentice, Obi-Wan leapt to his feet and ignited his lightsaber as he followed Anakin and Savage down the hallway. He had the feeling that there was something else going on here, but now was not the time to investigate it any further. Not with danger such as this afoot.

The two Jedi followed Savage down hallway after hallway, getting closer to the hangar all the time. Infrequently, they managed to engage the brute in combat. Though he backed away every time, he managed to keep pace with both Obi-Wan _and_ Anakin, not suffering a single glancing blow or scratch. For a Jedi-killer that had only appeared scarcely a week ago, this was a frightening amount of power indeed. Was he continually getting stronger? More skilled? He hoped not.

Obi-Wan and Anakin engaged Savage in the close-confines of the hall, their two blue blades clashing with Savage’s double-sided red one. The two Jedi dodged and blocked, switching to a more defensive style despite initially being on the offensive. Lightsabers swished through the air and the combatants moved ever forwards, propelled either by Obi-Wan and Anakin’s defense or Savage Opress’ ever continual offense.

Suddenly, a door just behind Obi-Wan opened and he and the other two were stepping through it, simply following the flow of combat. However, it turned out that they had entered the hangar and were suddenly surrounded in a semicircle by battle droids and a pair of droidekas.

The sound of blaster fire erupting around him kicked Obi-Wan’s defensive instincts into high gear. He completely shifted his focus, turning away from the hulking Zabrak brute in order to focus on deflecting the red bolts of energy that came shooting towards him. As he and Anakin moved to one side, deflecting shots and slicing apart droids, Obi-Wan noticed something. The droids weren’t only shooting at them, but Savage as well.

_The mysteries keep piling up, don’t they?_

“They’re not after us,” Anakin said, decapitating a battle droid and turning to look at the scene playing out before them. “They’re attacking that monster.”

A squad of super battle droids suddenly emerged from the hall that the Jedi and Savage had just exited, all raising their blaster arms and opening fire on the Zabrak. He spun his lightsaber furiously, deflecting shots this way and that, blocking as many as he could. But it wasn’t enough. One bolt slipped past his defense. Then two. Then more. Yet, each time, he merely grunted and flinched.

Obi-Wan was amazed. Hits like that would’ve leveled any normal being; even a Jedi. And yet Savage Opress was still standing.

The beast let out a roar of pure anger and pain as bolt after bolt crashed into him. Suddenly clenching his fists, he released a wave of pure Force energy, knocking every droid around him to the ground and even managing to catch Obi-Wan and Anakin in the blast. Once more, the ground rushed up to meet them, cold durasteel connecting with Obi-Wan’s face.

Ignoring the pain, he forced himself to his feet and shook his head to clear it. They were still in a dangerous place. Even as he righted himself, he heard the whine of an engine and saw a solar sailer fly overhead and out of the main hangar door. Savage had escaped.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” said a slow, automated voice. Obi-Wan turned to see a battle droid approaching him and Anakin, pointing accusingly at them. “Hey!” Was the only other word it managed to get out before Anakin sliced it apart with his lightsaber.

“No sense in hangin’ around here,” he said, moving to deflect another volley of bolts. More droids had flooded in from the hallway, apparently attracted by the path of destruction that they and Savage had created.

“My thoughts exactly,” Obi-Wan agreed. Their borrowed Toydarian ship was still parked a few meters away, untouched. They had to get to it before the droids realized it was theirs and blew it to smithereens. “Come on!” He turned and ran toward the ship, allowing the Force to fully flow through him, enabling him to deflect the blaster bolts that still whizzed toward his back.

Anakin followed, deflecting as well, and covered Obi-Wan as he used the Force to open a hatch just underneath the cockpit and jumped inside. As he seated himself at the main controls, Anakin leapt up inside the ship as well, sitting down in the co-pilot’s seat. Obi-Wan fired up the engines and coaxed the ship out of the hangar even as more blaster bolts bounced off the hull, ineffectually trying to bring them down.

“Are they pursuing us?” Obi-Wan demanded, his eyes locked on the wide-open blackness of space before him. He was no ace pilot. If vulture droids or tri-fighters were sent after them, he’d need to hand the controls over to Anakin before they were shot out of the sky. This was a luxury yacht, not a starfighter.

“It . . . doesn’t look like it,” Anakin said, pausing as he peered out of the bubble-like viewport around him. “They’re not interested in following us.”

“That was –”

“Close?”

“I was going to say strange,” Obi-Wan said, flying further still away from the dreadnaught. Even if they weren’t being pursued at the moment, he would feel much better as soon as they were out of range of the ship’s turbolasers. “Didn’t you notice? Savage seemed to have been in the middle of a fight when we found him. And then the battle droids opened fire on him as well as us.”

“You’re right . . .” Anakin mused, leaning over the controls. “I mean, this guy shows up for a week, joins with the Separatists, kills two Jedi and a unit of clones, assassinates King Katuunko, and suddenly gets ousted from the cause? It doesn’t make much sense.”

“I suppose it’s just something else to add to the ever-growing pile of mysteries that surrounds this war,” Obi-Wan said. “Not that such thoughts will help me sleep any easier.”

“Cheer up, Master. I doubt we’ve seen the last of Savage Opress. Maybe next time, he’ll be in a more talkative mood.”

“Yes,” Obi-Wan rolled his eyes, “won’t _that_ be lovely? Shall we return the ship now?”

“Uh . . . we still gotta get back to Coruscant,” Anakin pointed out. “And we don’t have another ship.”

“Oh,” Obi-Wan said. “Yes. Well, I suppose we’ll be borrowing this for a while longer, then.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll get someone to return the ship when we get back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Chamber - The Last Shadow Puppets
> 
> A little in-between chapter because this'll be important later down the line and I had to include it.
> 
> I think you all know what's coming next.


	6. It Will All End in Tears

**Cockpit of _Eta_ -class shuttle, somewhere in the Crelythium System**

Ahsoka sat in the back seat of a shuttle, peering over Anakin’s shoulder as he contacted the cruiser that was supposed to meet them at the rendezvous point. This whole situation was just _so_ strange to her. An unknown transmission had been detected coming from this general area of space. After Republic forces had decrypted it, a 2,000-year-old Jedi distress signal had been found buried within it. Very unusual to say the least. And so, Ahsoka, Anakin, and Obi-Wan had all been sent to investigate it. Rex had requested to come along as ‘added protection’ and of course, Anakin wasn’t going to deny him. So there he sat behind Obi-Wan, his expression inscrutable behind his helmet.

They were all supposed to meet with a Republic cruiser in the area, just in case this was all some sort of elaborate trap by the Separatists.

Only, there was one problem . . .

“Cody,” Anakin said, fiddling with the comm system. “Cody, do you read me? We’re at the rendezvous point awaiting your arrival. Where are you?”

A hologram of Commander Cody, harried as always, appeared just above Anakin’s pilot controls. “Sir,” he said, looking confused, “we are _at_ the rendezvous point and there’s no sign of you on any of our scanners.”

“Oh, come on,” Anakin rolled his eyes. “That’s impossible.” Ahsoka had to agree. Looking out the main viewport, there was absolutely no sign of the huge V-shaped _Venator_ -class star destroyer anywhere. They were kinda hard to miss. Especially without any planets around. Anakin glanced over at Obi-Wan. “Something’s wrong. We’re at the exact coordinates where the distress signal originated, but there’s nothing here. Cody is at the exact same coordinates, and _he’s_ not here.”

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Rex muttered, leaning forward slightly.

“This is getting interesting,” Obi-Wan mused, one hand stroking his beard.

Suddenly, the hologram of Cody began to flicker out. Something was wrong with his voice, too. “. . . Unable to find you. Where are you, sir?”

Yikes.

Ahsoka swiveled her chair around and fumbled with the instrument panel to her left, trying to boot up the comm array again. Nothing.

“Something’s blocking the signal,” she warned.

That was when all the power in the ship went out. Everyone looked up as the lights winked out.

“Not good,” Obi-Wan said, hunching over the main controls and tapping buttons to no avail.

“Everything’s dead,” Ahsoka said, standing and leaning in-between Anakin and Obi-Wan’s seats, “even the life support.”

“Hmm,” Anakin huffed. “This is _really_ strange.”

“Sir,” Rex cut in, “how much reserve air do we –”

All the lights suddenly flickered on again, causing everyone to look up once more.

“There,” Obi-Wan said. “See? Nothing to be concerned about after all.”

Ahsoka cast her eyes out the viewport and her jaw dropped. “Then what’s that?” She pointed. Everyone followed her gaze. Out there, where only moments before had been empty space, there was an immense, diamond-shaped black object. It was at least the size of two star destroyers. Without warning, the ship rocked back and forth violently. Suddenly, the object was growing closer as a warning alarm beeped out of control. “It’s pulling us towards it!”

As they neared it, the object seemed to split, revealing a blinding white light coming from within.

“Everyone strap yourselves in!” Obi-Wan warned, reaching down to check his own harness. “Looks as though we’re going for a ride.”

As quickly as she could, Ahsoka threw herself back into her own seat and buckled her safety harness.

And she knew no more.

* * *

Rex slowly opened his eyes and leaned forward in his seat. Where was he?

Looked like . . . the cockpit of an _Eta_ -class shuttle. To his left was Ahsoka, who was currently unconscious. In front of him was Skywalker and Kenobi, both of whom were stirring slightly.

What the hell had just happened?

Then it all came back to him. The interference, the power-outage, and the huge diamond thing in the middle of space where it had no business being. He was instantly alert.

“I must have blacked out,” Skywalker groaned rubbing the back of his neck as he straightened in his seat.

“Then who landed the shuttle?” Kenobi asked.

“Not me,” said Ahsoka, awake at last.

“Mmm, where are we?” Skywalker said, looking out the viewport.

Rex did likewise. They appeared to be in some sort of canyon. High rock walls surrounded them, while the ground was full of green grass and an assortment of strange-looking trees. It was definitely a planet of some sort. But that didn’t make any sense. They hadn’t been near any known planet when they were pulled into that strange object. Whatever was going on, Rex sure as hell didn’t like it.

“Some kind of organic mass,” Ahsoka said slowly, fiddling with the scanner next to her. “All of our readings indicate that it’s bigger than an asteroid . . . But at least the atmosphere is breathable.

“At least we won’t run out of air,” Rex said. It was a small consolation.

“Well, this is getting more unusual by the minute,” General Kenobi said, peering at his co-pilot instruments. “I can’t even lock down where in the galaxy we are . . . or if we are even _in_ our own galaxy.”

The console gave a loud beep. “What?” Skywalker muttered. “Well, the ship’s systems seem fine, but for whatever reason, nothing’s working.” The sound of a door opening drew everyone’s attention to the back of the cockpit. Ahsoka had stood and was walking back into the main area of the ship.

“Where are you going?” Rex demanded.

“Outside,” Ahsoka called over her shoulder. “If the air’s breathable and this ship isn’t going anywhere, we might as well see where we landed.” Apparently, that was good enough for everyone else, because Skywalker and Kenobi both got up out of their seats and followed the little Togruta out the back of the shuttle. Rex shook his head.

Jedi. They were going to be the death of him someday.

Without any better ideas, he unbuckled his harness and followed them down the exit ramp. Kenobi was already scanning the horizon with a pair of electrobinoculars, while Ahsoka and Skywalker peered around the clearing.

“Hey!” Ahsoka piped up, pointing off in the distance. “I saw something. A reflection up on the hill.”

Kenobi turned his gaze toward where she had pointed. “I don’t see anything.”

Rex sure did, though. Not far in front of them, the clearing dropped off into what appeared to be a steep drop. Beyond that, there were several immense mountain ranges. Strangely, several large rock formations floated aimlessly high in the air, yet gravity still seemed to remain normal. There were plenty of clouds and even a bright sun shining over them all. Not exactly what he expected to find on the inside of a giant space diamond, but today seemed to be a day for strangeness.

“Wh - What?” General Skywalker said looking around suddenly. “Uh . . . did you hear that?”

Everyone looked at him.

“I didn’t hear anything,” Kenobi said. Ahsoka looked concerned.

“Are you the One?” asked a strange voice.

Rex, Ahsoka, Skywalker, and Kenobi all turned. A tall, glowing woman was striding towards them from across the clearing. She was paler than any being Rex had ever seen, had long, flowing greenish hair, and wore a long, white and gold dress with an _extremely_ low cut.

“Hello,” Kenobi said, raising an eyebrow.

“Who are you?” Skywalker asked, skeptically, placing his fists on his hips.

“I am Daughter,” said the woman, gesturing to herself. _Well, glad that’s cleared up._ Rex noted that her voice seemed to reverberate slightly, as though she were always speaking into a canyon that caused her to echo. “Are you the One?”

“Uh, the One what?” Skywalker asked.

“I will take you to him,” Daughter said.

“Him who?” asked Ahsoka.

“Uh, did you bring us here?” Kenobi interjected, stepping forward.

“Only he can help you,” Daughter said. “There is little time. Follow me. We must have shelter by nightfall.” With that, she turned and started walking back the way she came.

“And we thought the planet was strange,” Skywalker muttered. He jerked his head in the direction of Daughter. “How about this one?”

“We’ll be fine as long as we stay together,” Kenobi said.

“I agree,” Rex nodded. “We probably _should_ find shelter before nightfall. We don’t know what we’re walking into.” Basic survival tactics. If this ‘Daughter’ could lead them to safety, they’d better take her up on her offer. Besides, there were four of them and only one of her. If she tried anything, they could probably take her.

And so, they set off after the strange woman.

* * *

“Have you noticed the seasons seem to change with the time of day?” asked Obi-Wan as the group stepped carefully along a rocky ridge on the side of a cliff.

Ahsoka glanced around. He was right.

It was evening now, and the plants and verger around them were no longer quite as lush and full of vibrance as it had been when they had landed. Summer was almost over.

“Yeah,” Anakin muttered.

“And there are no animals,” Ahsoka pointed out. That was what bothered her the most. Nothing seemed to live here. There was absolutely no sound other than their own footfalls, the rustle of leaves in the breeze, and the clacking of Rex’s plastoid armor. It was just . . . unsettling.

“And you sense it?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Mm-hmm,” Anakin nodded. “Since we arrived. “The Force is . . . _very_ strong.”

“An intersection unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. Be wary.”

Rex leaned down next to Ahsoka, his voice low. “Er . . . what does all that mean? I mean, yeah, this place feels off to me too . . .”

“It’s more than that,” Ahsoka explained. “This place is like a well for Force energy. There’s some kind of . . . overpowering presence here. Can’t you feel that?” She had a strange feeling that he could.

“I . . . yes.”

“It’s not natural.”

“Excuse me,” Anakin piped up, raising his voice to draw the attention of their ‘guide.’ “Who are you taking us to?”

“The Father, of course,” said the Daughter without breaking her stride.

“Of course,” Ahsoka rolled her eyes. Like that explained anything.

“Is there a . . . Mother around?” Rex asked. Ahsoka eyed him up. “What? Just a question.”

“No,” said the Daughter, her tone suddenly sharp. “We do not speak of her. Neither should you.”

_Weirder and weirder._

“And what exactly are you?” Obi-Wan asked.

“We are the ones who guard the power,” said the Daughter. “We are the middle, the beginning, and the end.”

“Glad she cleared that up for us,” Anakin quipped.

As the group turned around a bend in the ridge, all the plant life stopped being green altogether. Now, everything appeared as though it were in the middle of dying as the world readied itself for a renewal. Fall.

There was a low rumbling from above.

“Hey!” Anakin shouted, pointing up. “Look out!”

Ahsoka’s breath caught in her throat.

Above, a huge pillar of the opposite cliff wall was crumbling now, falling towards them at a rapid pace. Anakin leapt forward, tackling the Daughter and pushing her forwards as the colossal stone column struck the ridge. Obi-Wan stepped back, tripped over a loose stone and fell, barely managing to catch himself on the ledge so that he wouldn’t plummet to the ground far below. There was a sudden hand on Ahsoka’s upper arm, jerking her backward out of the path of the falling debris.

“You okay, littl’un?” Rex demanded.

“I’m okay,” she assured him. “Obi-Wan!”

The pair of them couched over the ledge, where the Jedi Master was managed to hold on with just one hand. He wouldn’t be able to do that for very long. Ahsoka reached down and grabbed his arm, hauling him upwards with all her might. Rex joined her, grasping Obi-Wan’s other arm, and together they managed to pull him back up to safety.

“Thank you,” he nodded.

“You’re welcome,” Ahsoka winked.

“Anytime, sir,” Rex said. “No one would ever find my body if Cody found out I let you die on some weird planet that doesn’t exist.”

Obi-Wan laughed, then raised his commlink. “Anakin, are you there? Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” came Anakin’s voice through the link. Ahsoka sighed with relief. “But our friend here has _run off_.” He sighed. “Go back to the ship and try sending another distress call. I’ll follow her and find out how to get off this rock.”

“And if this is a trap?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Then I’m not gonna wait around to find out.”

Ahsoka smirked. _Classic Skyguy._

“Anakin, stop,” Obi-Wan scolded. “Wait for us to find another way around and meet you.” _Beep._ The line went dead. “Anakin?” Nothing. He shook his head. “So reckless and impatient.”

“He’ll find her,” Ahsoka maintained.

“Yes,” Obi-Wan nodded gravely. “And what else?”

Thunder suddenly rumbled. Ahsoka looked up into the sky. Where only minutes before all the cloud had been white and fluffy, now they were thick, dark, and ominous.

“Storm’s coming,” she warned, frowning.

“We should get back to the ship right away,” Rex said. “That lady’s right about one thing: we need shelter. For all we know, the storms here are deadly.”

“No arguments here.”

And so, the trio turned back and began the trek back the way they came.

The trip back seemed to take only half as long as the journey there, but maybe that was just Ahsoka’s imagination. In any case, the sun was just about to set by the time they returned to the clearing that they’d woken up in. There was just one problem.

“The ship’s gone,” Ahsoka said, staring around.

“Yes, I see that,” Obi-Wan said.

“It was here, no question,” Ahsoka said, throwing her arms up into the air. The place had been strange before, but this was just to absurd to even fathom. “And look . . .” Right in front of her, the grass shriveled. From green to dead in seconds, just like a sped-up holovid. “Everything’s dying.”

Darkness had fallen in earnest now.

“I don’t like the look of this,” Rex said. “Feels like we’re bein’ watched.”

“Did you lose something?” said a smooth voice.

Ahsoka spun around, one of her lightsabers in her hand and activated in a split second. She wasn’t about to take any chances with this place. Neither was Rex, apparently, because one of his DC-17s was already in his hand and leveled at the figure that now stood before them.

It was a tall man with pinprick red eyes and a long, black cloak. He was frowning. “You didn’t do as you were asked,” he said.

“And what was that?” asked Obi-Wan, standing his ground but not drawing his weapon.

“My sister said to wait.”

“Oh, great,” Rex muttered. “Another one.”

“Did she, now?” asked Obi-Wan. “Well, we were unfortunately separated. We’d like our ship back, if you don’t mind.”

“Not yet,” said the figure, stepping closer and staring directly at Obi-Wan. Ahsoka and Rex kept their eyes and weapons locked on him the whole time, like the hunters they were. “Is it true that he is the Chosen One?” His voice was almost a whisper.

 _That_ got Obi-Wan moving.

He stepped back a drew his lightsaber. Ahsoka grabbed her shoto in her other hand and flicked the second blade into life, striking an attack-ready pose. Rex drew his second pistol as well, leveling both guns at the man’s head.

_How does he know about that? What does he want with Anakin?_

“What do you know of such things?” Obi-Wan demanded. Negotiation just went out the window, apparently.

“What is about to happen shall occur whether you like it or not,” the man warned. With that, he waved one hand in front of him.

Ahsoka’s and Obi-Wan’s lightsabers shut off of their own accord. Rex’s blasters sparked in his hands and he dropped them, shocked.

_What in the nine hells of Corellia . . .?_

“You are Sith,” Obi-Wan accused, stepping back, his eyes narrowed.

“Sith,” the mysterious man gave a creepy chuckle. “Yes . . . and no.” Ahsoka and Obi-Wan glanced at one another. _Can no one here just give a straight answer to a question?_ Suddenly, the sky seemed to open up and rain began to pour down on them. The man turned and began to walk away. “The storms here are quite lethal. If you want to live, I suggest you find shelter.”

With that, he leapt into the air. He was no longer a man. He was now a gigantic, black bat-like creature. He flew off, illuminated only by the flashes of lightning produced by the storm.

“You . . .” Rex mumbled, clearly shocked. “You don’t see _that_ everyday . . .” He reached down and retrieved his blasters, slipping them back into their holsters.

“What in the universe was that?” Ahsoka breathed, barely aware of the water now dripping down her face, shoulders, and montrals.

“I’m not quite sure,” Obi-Wan admitted, clipping his lightsaber to his belt. Lightning struck the ground only a meter or so away, causing everyone to jump, surprised. “Quick. There’s a cave over there!”

They all ran for it.

* * *

Anakin stepped inside the main doors of the monastery. Night had fallen hours ago and he still hadn’t managed to find any sign of the Daughter. It was like she had just disappeared off the face of the planet. The monastery, however, had been easy to find even at night. It was the only building he’d seen in all his walking. The blue glow emanating from it and the fact that it was positioned atop a tall mountain helped, too.

Maybe he’d finally get some answers.

Anakin stepped through the huge entrance door and found himself walking across a wide black bridge suspended over a gaping chasm emanating the same strange blue light that the monastery did from afar. Strangely carved stone pedestals served as a suggestion of a railing on either side. At the opposite end of the bridge, he could see what appeared to be some sort of ceremonial throne. An old man sat in front of it, his legs crossed and eyes closed. Meditating.

Anakin approached and, seeing nothing else he should do, sat in a meditative pose before the old man.

His eyes opened. His scleras were jet black. His irises were shockingly blue.

“Welcome, my friend,” said the man.

“What is it that you want from me?” Anakin asked. He had no illusions that he found this place by accident. He’d been led here.

“To learn the truth about who you really are,” said the man. “One that maybe you have known all along.” The man rose, stepping forward to stand in front of Anakin, who got to his feet as well. “One you must believe in order to fulfill your destiny.”

“Enough with the riddles, old man,” Anakin said. “Tell me what’s going on here.”

Thunder rumbled. A flash of lightning could be seen through a window above the throne.

“As you can see,” the man said, gesturing about, “there is nowhere else to go. It is late. You will be my guest tonight.”

Anakin sighed. He really should have expected as much. Once more forced to _wait_ for answers. Without further comment, he followed the old man away from the throne and deeper into the darkened monastery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It Will All End in Tears - The Drums
> 
> Hope y'all are buckled in because it's gonna be a wild, bumpy ride. Lots of interesting plot points come up during this arc.


	7. Till Dawn

**Cave, Mortis**

Obi-Wan sat on a rock, staring into the small fire that he and the others had managed to build within the cave. It was his shift to keep watch. Rex and Ahsoka had both managed to get to sleep. How? He wasn’t quite sure. The rocky floor was jagged and uncomfortable. Then again, he knew clones could sleep just about anywhere, and perhaps Ahsoka had picked up that trait. All around the cave, there were unidentifiable, bright blue crystals that seemed to grow out of the stone in a manner similar to real vegetation; in bush-like clumps.

He stroked his beard, thoughtfully, attempting to unravel the meaning of the day’s events. Where were they? What made this place so strange and special? Who were the beings they had encountered here and how powerful were they? So many questions . . . so few answers.

“Obi-Wan,” said an all-too-familiar voice. One he should not be hearing. “Have you done as I asked?” Startled Obi-Wan looked up. A specter of a dead man stood before him. Qui-Gon Jinn, his Master who had been killed on Naboo by Darth Maul all those years ago. “Have you trained the boy?”

“Master Qui-Gon?” Obi-Wan leapt to his feet, drawing his lightsaber and backing away. _Is this some sort of trick? This_ can’t _be real; it doesn’t make any sense._ “How are you here?”

The bearded, long-haired man paced before him, looking totally unconcerned. “I am here because you are here,” he said.

“No, I-I don’t understand,” Obi-Wan said, lowering his weapon a fraction. This . . . apparition didn’t seem to be hostile. At least, not yet. “What _is_ this place?”

“Unlike any other, a conduit through which the entire Force of the universe flows,” said Qui-Gon, his back to Obi-Wan now.

Then, there was another pressing question. “Are we in danger?”

“This planet is both an amplifier and a magnet,” Qui-Gon said. “Three are here who seek Skywalker. They, like me, believe him to be the Chosen One.”

At this, Obi-Wan finally shut off his lightsaber, stowing it on his belt. This . . . This _had_ to really be his old Master. Or, at least a projection of his soul brought about by the strength of the Force on this planet. He didn’t fully understand it, but he didn’t need to. He could feel Qui-Gon’s presence.

“You were right,” Obi-Wan admitted. “The Force within him is stronger than any known Jedi. I’ve trained him as well as I could, but . . . he’s still willful, and balance eludes him.” There were things Obi-Wan could have said, but chose to omit. Things he could barely admit to himself. Anakin’s thirst for adventure. His recklessness. His arrogance. His attachment. Whatever was going on between him and Senator Amidala. His anger.

“If he is the Chosen One,” Qui-Gon said, serene as ever, “he will discover it here.”

“And if not?”

Qui-Gon finally turned to face him once more, his expression troubled. “Then you must realize with his power, this is a _very_ dangerous place for him to be.”

Obi-Wan looked away for a moment, pondering. When he turned back, Qui-Gon had vanished. If he had ever _really_ been there to begin with. What he had said made sense, however, and Obi-Wan knew he would be a fool to ignore the advice he had been given.

As soon as they were able, they needed to find Anakin.

* * *

“Are you happy, child?”

Ahsoka’s eyes shot open. _Why does that voice sound so familiar?_

She quickly pushed herself into a sitting position and peered around their small encampment. The fire was still burning, but Rex and Obi-Wan were nowhere to be seen. Had they left her behind? _No. Neither of them would ever do that_. Had they been taken?

“Your Master. Does he treat you well?”

Then, she appeared.

By the fire, where only a moment ago there had been no one, no stood a tall Togrutan woman. She had orange skin, much like Ahsoka’s own, and she wore similar garb. Her leeku and montrals were long and lush; a sign of maturity. Her expression was guarded. Troubled.

“What concern of it is yours?” Ahsoka demanded, rising to her feet and standing her ground. In a place like this, it probably didn’t pay to trust a random person that had appeared out of nowhere. That had been her takeaway from the day’s events.

“I am your future,” said the woman. “Your potential.” She _did_ look remarkably similar to Ahsoka. Had the same facial markings and everything. Still . . .

Her lightsabers were in her hands and she dropped into a combat-ready stance in a heartbeat. “This is a trick,” she said. It had to be.

“There is a wildness to you, young one,” warned ‘future’ Ahsoka, stepping forward and raising her hands. “Seeds of the Dark Side planted by your Master. Do you feel it?”

Ahsoka didn’t like where this was going.

“No!” she insisted. “He is like no other Jedi. Passionate . . . impulsive . . . but I trust him with my life!”

‘Future’ her turned away and began pacing around the fire, her hands clasped behind her back. Ahsoka kept her weapons ready. Just in case.

“There are many contradictions in you . . .” the apparition mused. “And in him.” She stood over the fire and faced her. “Be warned . . . You may never see your future if you remain his student. Leave this planet!”

“Ahsoka?”

Her eyes shot open and she pushed herself upwards.

Obi-Wan was crouched over her, one hand half stretched out toward her, a look of concern on his face. It had been a dream. _A vision?_

“I . . . had a vision,” Ahsoka said, looking away. “I think Anakin may be in trouble.” Whatever the mystic forces on this planet were, they really seemed to have it out for her Master.

Obi-Wan’s eyebrows furrowed. “Yes . . . I certainly agree with you there,” he said, looking troubled. Had he seen something too? Ahsoka doubted she should press him about it. “Unfortunately, it’s night and the storm is showing no signs of letting up. We can only wait until morning.”

“I know,” Ahsoka nodded. But knowing didn’t make her feel any better about it.

“Do try to get some sleep,” Obi-Wan said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I expect we’ll both need our rest to deal with whatever happens tomorrow.”

He was right, of course. As Obi-Wan stood and walked away, Ahsoka settled back into her sleeping position: one arm acting as a pillow for her head as it rested on the stone floor, body totally stretched out. Before closing her eyes, she glanced over at Rex, who was sleeping only inches away, practically sitting upright against the wall. He was frowning, his head turning slightly as his eyelids fluttered.

_What are you dreaming about, Rexter?_

Should she wake him?

No. Obi-Wan was right. They all needed their rest. Rex probably more than any of them. She let him sleep, though she did inch a little closer to him. After that strange dream, she wanted comfort and safety. Who better to provide that than her Captain?

She closed her eyes once more.

* * *

Anakin’s eyes opened as he felt a warm hand rest on his head.

“Wake up, my son. I must tell you a secret.”

He sat bolt upright in the small room he’d been led to by the old man. “Who’s there?” he demanded. “Who’s there, I said!”

“It is me, Ani,” said the voice again. _A woman’s. Familiar_. Anakin shifted around to look directly behind him. “Your mother.” She stood just in front of the rectangular window, barely illuminated by the lightning from the storm still raging outside.

The woman, her arms now outstretched and welcoming, looked exactly like Shmi Skywalker. Not as she had two years ago when Anakin had found her bloodied and dying as a captive of the Tuskin Raiders on Tatooine, but as she had _twelve_ years ago when Anakin had left her home and joined the Jedi Order.

Anakin dove off the bed away from her and turned to face his – _no. Stop. She’s dead. She’s_ dead _!_

“What kind of black arts is this?” he demanded, circling the bed. “You’re dead.” Even after all this time, it still hurt to say it out loud – he never did, anyway.

“Nothing ever really dies, my son,” said Shmi, circling the bed opposite to him, coming closer. “I have a secret to tell you.”

Anakin knew he shouldn’t be listening to this. It had to be some kind of trick. But still . . . this was _his mother_.

“Then tell me,” he allowed. He could at least hear her out and then decide what he should do. He certainly couldn’t _fight_ her.

“Everything you have done,” Shmi said, stepping closer still, “everything you have learned, has led you here.”

This did not sound like her. “Whatever you are, my mother is . . . is dead.”

“And you blame yourself. Your Jedi training has served you well, Ani, but you are more than a Jedi.” She stepped closer again. She was now directly in front of him. “Tell me, where is your pain, so I might take it away.”

Anakin looked away. “I was . . .” _what am I doing?_ “too late to save you. I failed as a Jedi, and I failed _you_.”

“How so?” She placed a comforting hand on Anakin’s cheek. He let her.

“I tasted only vengeance when I slaughtered so many to avenge your death,” Anakin admitted.

He’d killed them. The Tuskins. The Sand People. Men. Women. Children. Every single member of that tribe had fallen on his lightsaber’s blade after he discovered his mother and held her while she lay dying. No one knew about that aside from Padmé. Not Obi-Wan. Not Rex. Not Ahsoka. No one.

“It is time you realized that your guilt does not define you, my son,” said Shmi. “You define your guilt.” She placed both her hands on his shoulder and leaned against him. Her presence was . . . unnerving. But strangely comforting.

“The only love I feel in my heart . . . is haunted by what would happen should I let go,” he said, shaking his head.

“Then it is not love,” Shmi said. “It is a prison.”

“But I . . . I have a wife.” What a strange thing to say. To his mother of all people. “You’ve met her. She’s _everything_ to me.”

“She’s not your destiny.” Shmi’s tone was flat now.

“But I love her,” Anakin protested.

“No!” spat Shmi, stepping away from him. Her voice now sounded deeper . . . ancient in some way. “She is a prisoner!”

“What are you?” Anakin demanded, pushing away from her and backing towards the door. This _was not_ his mother.

Lightning flashed, and for a terrifying second, his mother was gone. Instead, a hulking bat-like creature with demonic, red eyes stood before him, staring him down. Then, the apparition of his mother returned, though her eyes were now jet black and her features were contorted in rage.

“Your fate!” she bellowed, her voice still as deep as it had been a moment ago.

And then she was gone. Just like that.

Anakin’s hands closed into fists. It was time for some answers. No one was getting away with using his mother against him. How had they known? What kind of dark arts was at play here? Full of rage, he turned and slipped out of the room, running back the way he had been led, heading back toward the throne room. His lightsaber was in his hand the entire time, ready to be activated. His footfalls echoed throughout the large, dark corridors. After only a few minutes of backtracking, he found himself in the correct room, standing before the throne once more. The old man was still there – eyes closed and meditating.

Anakin drew his lightsaber and leveled it at the man’s face.

“Cannot sleep?” asked the man without opening his eyes. “To strike an unarmed man is hardly the Jedi way.”

“You’re a Sith Lord,” Anakin accused, not backing down. How else could any of this be explained?

“You have a very simple view of the universe,” the man said. “I am neither Sith nor Jedi.” His eyes opened. “I am much more. And so are you.”

“I see through your spells and visions, old man. Tell me what is going on here!”

With that, the old man _grabbed onto_ Anakin’s lightsaber and directed it away from his face. Anakin took a shocked half-step back. He hadn’t even flinched. He didn’t even appear to be injured.

“Some call us Force wielders,” said the man, still holding the tip of Anakin’s lightsaber as he stood. He gave the blade a small push, forcing it back into the hilt and deactivating it.

“The Jedi have never spoken of this,” Anakin said, his mind reeling, trying to make sense of this kind of power. He’d never seen anything like it before. Not ever.

“Hmm,” said the man. “Few still know of our existence.”

Anakin gestured back the way he came. “In that room,” he said, “my mother came to me. But it was not her. It was something else.”

“Ah.” The old man stroked his long beard thoughtfully. “My son, I suspect. We can take many forms. The shapes we embody are merely a reflection of the life force around us.” He looked down at Anakin. “You carry a great sadness in your heart. My children and I can manipulate the Force like no other. Therefore, it was necessary to withdraw from the temporal world and live here as anchorites.”

“As a sanctuary?” Anakin asked. He was finally getting at least _some_ of his questions answered.

“And a prison.” The old man shook his head. “You cannot imagine what pain it is to have such love for your children and realize that they could tear the very fabric of our universe.”

“I don’t understand,” said Anakin.

“It is only here that I can control them,” explained the man, gesturing all around. “A family in balance; the light and the dark. Day with night, destruction replaced by creation.”

“Then why reveal yourselves to us?”

“There are some who would like to exploit our power,” said the old man after a moment. “The Sith are but one. Too much dark or light would be the undoing of life as you understand it. When news reached me that the Chosen One had been found, I needed to see for myself.”

“The Chosen One is a myth,” Anakin said.

He certainly didn’t feel like any Chosen One. The Chosen One would live such a lonely, secretive life. The Chosen One wouldn’t fail to protect the people he cared about. The Chosen One wouldn’t struggle constantly to try and understand what was right and what was wrong. Yes, he was powerful in the Force. At least, he’d been told so. But there were plenty of other beings like that. Master Windu. Master Yoda. Hell, even Count Dooku. Maybe he did have a natural talent, but he was no Chosen One. He had no destiny or anything like that.

“Is it?” asked the man. “I should very much like to know. Why don’t we find out together? Pass one test, and I shall know the truth. Then, you and your friends may leave.”

Well . . . what harm could it do?

* * *

Rex stood. Ahsoka was still asleep next to him. General Kenobi stood at the entrance of the cave, looking out into the stormy night. He stretched, then stepped forward. He should probably relieve the General; who knew how long he’d been out for.

“General Kenobi,” he said. “Would you like to rest now?”

No answer. Kenobi didn’t even acknowledge his presence. He stepped closer.

“General?” he ventured.

Nothing.

_What the hell is going on here? Am I going crazy? What –_

“At ease, soldier,” said a voice that sounded exactly like his own.

Surprised, Rex whipped around. Standing just behind the fire – exactly where no one had been only a moment ago – was a man. He was as tall as Rex. Had his same skin-tone, same nose, same eyes. He was bald, with a small scar across his temple and a bushy white beard. He wore an amalgamation of plastoid armor with some blue striping and regular civilian clothes. Was he . . . a clone? A clone older than he had ever seen; he looked to be at least fifty. Which meant he really couldn’t have been older than twenty-five or so.

“Who are you?” Rex demanded, one hand hovering over the holster of his DC-17. Sure, it hadn’t exactly been effective against the dark man from earlier, but who knew? Maybe this time it’d work out. “What are you doing here?”

The old clone laughed heartily, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “Come on, kid,” he said, grinning. “There’s no need for that hostility here. We’re both clones, you and I.”

“Maybe . . .” Rex said, not relaxing one bit. “But that doesn’t mean you can be trusted.”

_Slick._

The clone sighed, shaking his head. “Sometimes I forget what it was like during the war,” he said. “Hard to feel things, isn’t it? Hard to give people the benefit of the doubt.”

“You . . . served in the war?” Rex asked, confusion overcoming his suspicion. His hand slipped away from his blaster. “As in . . . past tense?”

“You bet,” said the clone. “From my point of view, the war’s been over for fifteen years.”

“And . . . And do we win?” Rex couldn’t help but ask. “What happens to the _vod’e_ after everything’s over?” _For fuck’s sake, what the hell am I doing? This is just a dream._ But Rex found that he didn’t care.

The clone frowned. “That . . . depends on _your_ point of view,” he said.

Rex didn’t like that answer. Could _no one_ on this Force-forsaken planet give a straight response?

“I don’t understand.”

“And you won’t,” said the clone. “Not until it’s too late.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Rex, I can’t tell you that,” he said, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. “That’s not how this works.”

Rex’s blaster was in his hand in a heartbeat and was pointed at the clone’s chest. “How do you know my name?” he demanded, his eyes narrowed.

“Because,” said the clone, not flinching in the slightest and giving a lopsided grin, “I’m you.”

That was so absurd that Rex actually lowered his blaster, confusion overtaking him once more. “What?”

“I’m you if you fail,” said ‘future’ him.

“Fail?” Rex asked. None of this made any kriffing sense. “How would it be a failure to reach your age? No clone has ever done that before.”

“Look at me, kid,” ‘future’ Rex said, spreading his arms. “I’m twenty-eight. I look like I’m fifty-six. I’m alone.” His eyes seemed to dart over to Ahsoka’s sleeping form, and something flashed in them. Sadness? Regret?

Maybe he was just imagining things.

“But that’s just how it is,” Rex shrugged. “For all of us. Can’t stop the aging.”

“Incorrect.”

“What?”

“We’re not born aging twice as fast,” ‘future’ Rex pointed out. “Remember that Boba Fett kid? The Kaminoans tampered with us; made us this way. And if they did this, then it can be undone.”

“That’s just pure speculation,” Rex said, waving him off. He was sure it was every clone medic’s pipe dream to be the one to find a cure to their advanced aging condition. But it was impossible.

“There’s a couple of guys in the SOB that don’t think so,” said ‘future’ Rex. “Some of those Null ARC troopers. Ask ‘em about it if you ever get the opportunity.”

“This is all very fascinating,” Rex said. “But how do I know you’re not just some figment of my imagination? How do I know you’re real? That you’re really me?”

“That scar on your chin.”

“What?”

“You got it when you were five years old,” said ‘future’ him. “Bacara knocked your lights out in a training match.”

Rex ran a hand over his chin, fingers brushing the small, diagonal scar there. “Okay,” he said. “You don’t seem to be Bacara, so . . . you got me there. And . . . you’re real?”

“You want more proof?” ‘future’ Rex looked frustrated now. “I’ll give more proof.” He snapped his fingers.

Rex instantly dropped to his knees, his hands clasped against his forehead. Images assaulted his mind’s eye. He could hear voices.

It all flashed by so quickly that he could barely pick out anything. A hulking figure garbed in black wielding a red lightsaber. Coruscant on fire. Ahsoka ran through a dark alleyway, scared and alone. A _Venator_ crashed into the surface of an unfamiliar planet. Clone troopers fired upon one another in the blackness of night. A group of clones with armor of varying colors and designs met in a darkened room, their expressions grave. General Skywalker stood in front of the Jedi Temple at sundown, something clutched in one hand as a single tear fell from one eye. Jedi fell lifeless to the ground; blaster marks in their backs. White armored men that both were and were not clones stormed the hallway of a ship. None of it made any sense.

And then the voices . . . they were so loud that they almost sounded like screaming now.

“You’ve already made your decision, haven’t you? This meeting is just a formality!”

“It feels good, doesn’t it? But _I_ can sense your fear.”

“I’ve learned that trust is overrated.”

“You can’t do this!”

“I am not just another number! None of us are!”

“Rex. What’s happening?”

“Commander, I’m giving you one last chance to _get out of my way_.” 

“Good soldiers follow orders.”

“Don’t . . . let her go. Don’t you _ever_ . . . let her go . . .”

“The mission . . . the nightmares . . . they’re . . . finally . . . over . . .”

It was all over in a chilling cackle of laughter.

Rex was on his hands and knees, now, gasping for air. “What . . .” he coughed, shaking his head as the cave came back into focus. “What the _hell_ was that?” He looked up to see ‘future’ him standing over him, arms folded and expression grave.

“Call it a warning.”

Rex slowly caught his breath and rose to his feet, trying to figure out exactly what he had seen and heard. There had been a lot. And none of it made any sense to him. “A warning,” Rex mumbled. “Of . . . what?”

“Like I said: the future.”

“None of this makes any sense,” Rex shook his head. “How is this even happening? How am I seeing and hearing all this?”

‘Future’ Rex rolled his eyes. “Come on, kid,” he said. “Haven’t you figured it out yet? After Geonosis and Saleucami, I would’ve thought it had been at least a little obvious.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You are Force-sensitive.”

Rex took a step back. “No,” he said, shaking his head as though to banish the very thought. “ _No_. That’s not true. That’s impossible!”

“No, it’s not,” ‘future’ Rex said. “And you _know_ it’s not. You just don’t want to think about it.”

“I –”

“You can feel it when your friends die,” ‘future’ Rex said, holding up one hand and ticking things off on his fingers. “Your ‘sixth sense’ tells you when danger is near. You found Ahsoka under all that rubble on Geonosis. You felt a certain . . . connection after you got shot on Saleucami. You –”

“Alright. Alright!” Rex barked, cutting him off. “You’ve made your point.”

“Good,” said ‘future’ Rex. “Don’t ignore what I said, Rex. Your future isn’t the only one at stake.”

For what felt like the hundredth time, Rex asked the question. “What are you talki –”

Before the words had left his mouth, ‘future’ Rex had drawn one of his DC-17s from a holster attached to his belt. It was leveled at Rex’s chest and he pulled the trigger. The blue blaster bolt hit him directly in the center of his chestplate. Shocked and full of pain, Rex took a step back before collapsing to the floor, hands clutching at the gaping, fiery hole next to his heart. He couldn’t breathe.

Rex lay on the floor, only meters away from Kenobi and Ahsoka, though neither of them could see or hear him. He was dying; gasping for air that wouldn’t come. ‘Future’ Rex stepped over him, looking down.

“Do not forget me,” he warned.

Rex’s eyes shot open and he sucked in air.

He was still lying in the same position he’d fallen asleep in. He hadn’t gotten up and moved at all. It had just been a dream. A stupid dream. But . . . had it? That . . . thing – _me_ – that he’d seen. He’d been right about one thing.

Rex wouldn’t forget him until the day he died.

He shifted slightly and suddenly became aware of a stirring just beside him. He froze, slowly looking to his right. Ahsoka was nestled into the crook of his arm, her cheek pressed against his chestplate and her right arm draped across his torso. Had she simply shifted next to him in her sleep? Or had this been a deliberate move?

He wasn’t sure.

Slowly, carefully, Rex shifted his arm and put it around her, resting his hand on her shoulder. He couldn’t have said why. At least, not consciously.

Now at peace, he managed to fall back into a mercifully dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Till Dawn - The Weeknd
> 
> I knew this was coming for a long time. This'll be a fun chapter to revisit when everything is over ;) 
> 
> Hopefully this caught you a little off-guard lol


	8. Under My Thumb

**Grasslands, Mortis**

Rex followed slightly behind General Kenobi and Ahsoka as they walked practically aimlessly across the blackened ground. It was morning now. As the sunlight washed over the ground, the landscape changed drastically. Blackened grass became green and vibrant. Ghostly blue trees turned brown and full of leaves. Dead bushes sprang up and bloomed. All in a matter of seconds.

It was unnerving.

Not as unnerving as Rex’s . . . _vision?_ . . . last night, but strange nonetheless.

“The longer we stay here, the stranger this place gets,” Ahsoka said, looking around at the rapidly changing landscape.

“It appears the planet is renewing herself,” Kenobi remarked.

“What about Master Skywalker?”

“Anakin will not be easy to deceive,” he assured her.

Rex didn’t think that Skywalker being deceived was the biggest problem at hand. His general would make the right choice – he was sure of that. But would he be killed? He had absolute faith in the man, but they were clearly dealing with powers that none of them fully understood. What hope did they have to contend with beings like the ones they had encountered? Before Rex could ponder the issue any further, his attention was drawn to the sky. Two loud screeches came from above, so loud they almost tripped Rex’s sound buffers. A pair of humongous creatures swooped down. One was the bat-thing the man had turned into the previous night – easily recognizable. The other was a fluffy half-bird, half-mammal that was colored white and green.

Both creatures closed in on Kenobi and Ahsoka, claws and talons outstretched. Before either of them could reach for their weapons, each had been grabbed by a separate creature. General Kenobi was snatched by the half-bird, while the bat thing grabbed Ahsoka.

_Shit._

Time seemed to stop as Rex’s brain went into overdrive. What was going on? Were the Jedi being taken? What should he do? Rex knew that if the Jedi left him, he’d be stranded in the middle of nowhere on a planet he didn’t know with no way to find them again. If he was left behind, he’d likely never get back. That meant he needed to act. He needed to stay with the Jedi. That only left one question.

Kenobi or Ahsoka?

He opted for the bat creature, stepping forward and launching himself into the air. With all his strength, Rex managed to grab onto the creature’s free leg and held on for dear life. As the thing got higher and higher, the perspective fall became more and more lethal.

“Agh, Rex!” Ahsoka gasped, struggling within the durasteel grip of the bat creature. “What are you doing?”

“Watching your back, ma’am,” Rex grunted, his legs swinging dangerously out over the void below. “Shit.”

“Hang on!”

* * *

It was morning.

The old man – the Father – led Anakin out to an area behind the monastery. The two of them now stood in the center of a huge, circular arena. Large, ornate carvings adorned the floor, showing depictions of stars, planets, and vortexes. There were also strange symbols that Anakin couldn’t decern the meaning of.

“It is time to face your guilt and know the truth,” the Father said, looking down at him.

There was a loud roaring, and both men looked up into the sky. Two huge creatures were circling above, drawing ever closer. One a bat creature, the other a bird-like thing. As they alighted in the arena, on either side of Anakin and the Father, he realized that each creature grasped a being in their claws. As the bat creature landed, it shook itself, and another being flew forward, rolling across the ground for a few meters before coming to a stop, slowly getting to its feet.

It was Rex. The bat creature held Ahsoka. The bird-thing held Obi-Wan.

“General!” Rex said, stumbling forward before gaining hi balance once more.

“What’s going on, Rex?” Anakin said, looking furiously between the two creatures.

“I don’t know, sir,” Rex said, shaking his head. “These things just appeared out of nowhere and grabbed them.”

“Whatever he wants,” Ahsoka shouted, struggling in the bat creature’s grip, “don’t do it, Master!”

Anakin rounded on the Father. “Let them go!” he demanded. “I will _not_ play your games.”

“Oh, but I think you will,” said the Father calmly, circling Anakin and Rex. “I have ordered my children to kill your friends. The question is . . .” Anakin lost track of him. He had vanished just like that. “Which one will you choose to save?” He looked up. The Father was now standing on a pedestal across the arena, looking down into it imperiously. “Your Master? Or your Apprentice? You must now release the guilt and free yourself by choosing.”

Anakin shook his head. “No!” he shouted. He couldn’t do this. Choose between Obi-Wan and Ahsoka? How could he? He’d sooner die himself before he let something happen to either of them. How could he live with himself if he saved one and let the other die? How was _that_ supposed to free him of his guilt?

“General?” Rex asked. The question hung in the air as the clone stood there, helmet bobbing as he looked between Obi-Wan, the Father, and Ahsoka.

“I’m thinking, Rex.”

“Their powers are too strong for us, Anakin,” Obi-Wan shouted, panting. “Save Ahsoka!”

_Damn him, he would say that._

Anakin and Rex both turned to look back at the Togruta girl. She was trying to extract her arm from the one-claw grip of the bat creature. She let out a pained gasp, wobbling on her feet. Rex took a half-step forward, his fists clenched tighter than Anakin had ever seen.

He leveled his gaze at the Father. “Let them go.” His voice was low. Dangerous.

“Only you can make my children release them,” the Father said.

“Anakin!” Obi-Wan called, as though he had only just realized something. “The planet _is_ the Force. Use it.” Anakin closed his eyes. He could feel it. The power surging up from below. The Force. All he needed to do was reach out and harness it.

So he did.

“You will let them go!” he commanded, his voice suddenly reverberating through the arena, laced with ancient power. He brought his hands together before reaching out to either side, the Force flowing through him, more powerful than ever. As he did so, parts of the floor beneath his feet lit up and both creatures were pushed backward. Rex took a shocked step back.

Anakin let the power overtake him, he forced both creatures to levitate slightly, trapping them in the Force. The sky suddenly turned black. The only lights were those that had appeared beneath the floor. Anakin opened his hands wide, causing the two creatures to release their hold on Ahsoka and Obi-Wan. The two Jedi dropped to the ground and simply stood, watching as Anakin brought things under control. He wasn’t done yet. He pulled both beings through the air towards him, then sent them flying backward into the walls of the arena. They slammed into the stone, each letting out a roar of pain before falling to the ground. As Ahsoka and Obi-Wan backed away, drawing their lightsabers, the creatures rose again, once more taking to the air as they made to attack their prey once more.

Again, Anakin harnessed the power, holding each creature in place in the air before pulling them towards him. “Down!” he shouted as thunder rent the dark sky and he forced the two beings in front of him. “On your knees!”

And he squeezed.

Each creature suddenly reverted to a much more human form. The Daughter and the Son know knelt before him, panting and on their hands and knees. Breathing heavily from the exertion, Anakin lowered his hands, letting go of the Force and taking a step back as the sky returned to daylight and the light below him faded.

“Sir,” Rex said, shaking his head. “That was –”

“And now you see who you truly are,” said the Father. Anakin turned to see the tall man approaching him from behind. “Only the Chosen One could tame both my children.”

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan approached, skirting the two children as they placed their lightsabers on their belts.

“I have taken your test,” Anakin said, looking up at the Father. “Now fulfill your promise and let us go.”

“Ah, but first, you must understand the truth. Now, all of you, leave us.”

Anakin glanced back at Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, and Rex.

“Do _not_ trust him,” Ahsoka muttered shaking her head slightly.

“Ya think?”

“I said leave us.”

The trio turned to go, walking across the arena and away from Anakin and the Father. The Son and Daughter had already vanished. Rex glanced over his shoulder, but Anakin waved him on. Surely, he could handle whatever happened now. He’d passed the test or whatever.

“Do you feel your destiny?” the Father asked. “You must see it now. I am dying, and _you_ must replace me.”

_Woah, now._

“Replace you?” Anakin asked, dismissively, raising an eyebrow. “I can’t stay here.”

“But this is yours,” the Father said, as though he couldn’t understand how Anakin could possibly deny him. “It has been foretold. The Chosen One will remain to keep my children in balance.”

Anakin shook his head, stepping away. “No,” he said. If this guy couldn’t get his own children to get along, how was Anakin supposed to do any different? He wasn’t going to spend the rest of his life here away from everyone he loved just to play jailor to two extremely powerful Force wielders.

“I . . . cannot force you to do this,” the Father said sadly, looking away. “The choice must be yours. But leave, and your selfishness shall haunt you. And the galaxy.”

And there was the guilt trip.

* * *

Rex stood at the bottom of their shuttle’s ramp. After they’d left the arena, the Daughter had been kind enough to show them to it. Conveniently, it had been placed upon a landing platform on the other side of the monastery. The Son, on the other hand, had stalked off, looking mutinous.

He had a bad feeling about that.

Still, it shouldn’t matter now. They were leaving.

He could see General Skywalker making his way toward them, looking troubled.

“He’s coming,” Rex said, looking up into the ship. Ahsoka and General Kenobi stood at the top of the ramp, looking down at him. He turned back toward Skywalker. “Everything alright, sir?”

“I’m fine, Rex,” he said, waving him off. Rex knew better than to press. It wouldn’t get him anywhere. The General always buttoned-up when the talk got too personal. He could sense that now was one of those times.

“Ready to get out of here?” Kenobi asked.

Skywalker said nothing. He simply looked back toward the monastery, as though he were still trying to decide something. After a moment, he stepped onto the ramp, joining Rex as they walked up into the shuttle. As Ahsoka and Kenobi strode into the cockpit, Skywalker stayed behind, moving off into the passenger bay and collapsing onto one of the beds there. He shut his eyes.

The ship shuddered as it took off.

Rex hung awkwardly in the doorway. “Sir . . .” he started, not really sure where he was going with this, but knowing he should say something. “I . . . don’t mean to overstep any boundaries . . . but if you need to, er . . . discuss anything of a . . . personal nature. I . . . will do my best to listen. I-If you need it, that is.”

Skywalker’s eyes opened. For a moment, he saw amusement there. Relief passed through Rex as he sat up slightly, looking more like his old self than he had in the last hour or so.

“Thanks, Rex,” he said. “But I’m alright. Really. I just need to rest a bit and I’ll be fine. I do appreciate the offer, though.” He lay down once more and shut his eyes.

Rex stepped back into the main compartment and removed his helmet, clipping to his belt as he ran a hand over the short layer of bleach-blond hair on his head. This was one weird trip. He’d be glad to be rid of this place, that was for sure. The door to the cockpit opened and Ahsoka stepped through.

“Hey, Rexter,” she said. “Obi-Wan’s got us pretty high up. We should be leaving soon. You ready?”

Rex chuckled tiredly. “More than you can imagine,” he said. “I dunno if this is run of the mill for you Jedi, but it's been a bit much for me.”

“Nah,” she shook her head, grinning. “Been pretty weird for me, too.” Her expression shifted. “Hey, listen . . . I, uh, wanted to talk to you about . . . what you did. Jumping onto that bat-thing.”

“Yes?”

“That was really stupid,” she said. She glanced away. “But it was also really brave . . .”

“Just . . . er . . .” _Shit._ “Just doing my job. I’m sure you would’ve done the same for me.”

“Yeah . . .” she said. “I would’ve.”

Silence fell. It became awkward very quickly.

“Er . . .”

“I should . . . go check on Skyguy,” Ahsoka said. With that, she turned and stepped into the living quarters.

Rex sighed. _What the hell is wrong with me? Why is my life a living nightmare?_

“Were you having a nightmare?” came Ahsoka’s voice from inside the room.

“Something like that,” Skywalker said, groaning.

The ship suddenly shuddered again, forcing Rex to grab onto the wall to prevent himself from being thrown to the floor. Skywalker and Ahsoka both stumbled out of the living quarters, looking rattled.

“If you’re done napping,” came General Kenobi’s voice from the cockpit, “I could use a little help here.”

“I’m comin’,” Skywalker grumbled, stepping towards the door.

“No rest for the weary,” Rex muttered.

Suddenly, Ahsoka gasped from behind them. The cockpit door slid shut of its own accord. Both Skywalker and Rex whipped around, alert.

The Son stood in the corridor, one arm wrapped tightly around Ahsoka’s throat. “Leaving so soon?” he asked, his voice silky and taunting. Without thinking, Rex leapt forward, reaching for her. He managed to grab onto _something_ before an unseen force pushed him roughly away, sending him flying backward into the wall. The Son laughed, holding up Ahsoka by the neck. “Not without this, you won’t.”

With that, the exit ramp opened and he dove through it, the little Togruta still in his clutches, screaming as they plummeted to the ground below.

“Ahsoka!” Skywalker shouted, leaning over the edge. There was nothing he could do and they both knew it. Rex crawled to the edge just in time to see the Son transform into that bat-thing again and take off flying.

The hatch slid shut.

_Damn it!_

Rex slammed his fist into the floor, only to notice he was still holding onto something.

“Rex,” Skywalker said. “Rex, what do you have there?”

He held it up.

A _lightsaber_. The shoto. He must’ve snatched it right off her belt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Under My Thumb - The Rolling Stones
> 
> Uh-oh. That's bad.
> 
> Y'all ain't ready for this next one
> 
> Sorry it's a little late; had a class at an odd time today.


	9. Until I Bleed Out

**Cockpit of _Eta_ -class shuttle, Mortis**

Anakin and Rex bolted into the cockpit, each sliding into their seats.

“What’s going on?” Obi-Wan asked, looking confused as to their grave expressions.

“The Son took Ahsoka,” Anakin blurted.

“What in the blazes are you talking about?”

“Move! Let me fly.” He seized control of the ship and instantly changed course at breakneck speed, causing everyone to slide around in their seats. He didn’t care.

_That thing is_ not _getting away with this._

Through the now night sky, Anakin pursued the Son as he flew into a series of gorges and mountains, swerving this way and that to avoid outcroppings of rocks and high peaks. Strange pillars of stone that would never have formed naturally anywhere else.

“Sir,” piped up Rex from behind Obi-Wan. “What exactly are we going to do? We can’t shoot him down – he’s got Ahsoka!”

“I know!” Anakin shot back, pushing the engines to their absolute limit. “But we have to do something! We’ll just follow him.”

“Oh, I have a bad feeling about this!” shouted Obi-Wan, clutching the armrests of his seat reflexively as they pulled up from a sharp dive.

They were gaining on the Son now. He was only meters away from the front of the ship. Anakin could even make out Ahsoka as she dangled helplessly from his claws. Then, the huge bat glanced back and snarled at the bright lights of the ship before putting on a burst of speed and disappearing into the fog that surrounded them, diving deeper into the canyon.

_No!_

He was not going to lose them. He sped up as well, headed exactly where he’d seen them disappear.

Suddenly, a huge glowing green tower appeared before them.

“Shit!” Rex swore.

“Look out!” cried Obi-Wan. Without warning, he grabbed his own set of controls and yanked the ship to the side, swerving past the tower and sending them careening through the air.

_Did he really think I was just gonna hit it?_

Attempting to wrestle control back over the ship, Anakin muscled his own controls in the opposite direction, trying to right them in the air. He only succeeded, however, in sending them further off-course. The ground rushed up to meet them.

_Thud!_

The ship hit the rocky surface, skidding for several meters before jerking upwards, and crashing forth into the ground, sending everyone careening about in their seats. Rex made a choking sound as he was pulled forwards by the crash and backward by his harness. Anakin’s head hit the rest behind him. Obi-Wan flew forward into the console. The only sound aside from crackling electricity was groaning as all three men moved groggily in their seats.

Anakin looked incredulously at Obi-Wan, who slowly sat up and turned to face him.

“I didn’t think you saw it,” he said.

“It was a _giant tower_ , of course I saw it!”

Rex ran a hand over his eyes before getting shakily to his feet and sliding his helmet over his head. Together the three of them exited their now disabled ship, descending the thankfully still-working ramp and stepping out into the night. They’d crashed into an immense stone mesa. In the distance, Anakin could still see the tall tower with the green orb at the top.

“Any sign of him?” he asked. They all knew who.

“No,” Obi-Wan said. “But I think it’s obvious where he’s taken her. He nodded at the tower.

Anakin stepped forward, followed by Rex. “We must hurry.”

Obi-Wan stepped in front of them. “Anakin, this wasn’t a mistake,” he said, grabbing his shoulders. “He brought us here for a reason. We must not get involved.”

“With respect, sir,” Rex said. “We’re already involved.” With that, he shook himself and took off running toward the tower at a dead sprint.

Anakin made to follow, but Obi-Wan once more stopped him. “Any conflict here could have dramatic repercussions for the universe at large.”

“I don’t care,” Anakin snarled, brushing his former Master aside. “He’s too powerful for Ahsoka. I won’t leave her alone.”

“We are in the middle of something we don’t truly understand,” Obi-Wan said, catching Anakin. “We’d be wise to confer with the Father first.”

“There’s no time,” Anakin maintained.

“This is what he wants – to divide us.”

“It’s my fault he took her!” Anakin exploded

“You must feel how strong this part of the planet is with the Dark Side,” Obi-Wan said, as calmly as he could. “The Father will know what to do.”

Anakin sighed. He knew better. “He can’t help us,” he said. How could he? When he had already asked Anakin to take over for him. _He_ had to be the one to put an end to this.

With that, he began his long walk toward the tower.

* * *

Ahsoka struggled against the binders that had been fastened around her wrists, locking her against the wall.

Where was she? No idea. How long had she been there? It felt like forever. She was in a dark room, lit only by a few bulbs of orange light emanating from the walls. The Son had brought her to the room, locked her up, smiled at her, and left. His laughter reverberated creepily throughout the . . . wherever she was.

“You cannot keep me here!” she bellowed, still struggling, though she knew it was probably in vain. “You hear me?” She broke off as her voice cracked. She panted, sinking against the restraints that held her upright.

“Save your energy,” said a sudden, small voice from off to her right. “You have been left to die.”

Startled, Ahsoka turned to see a small, ugly creature crouched near her. He was short, fat, and purple, with small legs and long arms. His eyes were large and black on top of his snout and he had big ears on either side of his head.

“Then I will escape!” Ahsoka shot back. She wasn’t going to give up so easily. She’d been trained better than that.

“Impossible,” the creature mumbled, chuckling and stepping closer. “I have been here for more years than I care to remember.” He looked to be the picture of insanity. Laughing as he recounted his pain.

_Stang. I hope I don’t end up like him._

“I am a Jedi,” Ahsoka maintained, straightening as best she could. “We don’t give up easily.”

“Jedi?” said the creature, standing right in front of her now. “Huh. But so young. Where is your Master?” He climbed up on the wall next to her.

“He will come for me,” Ahsoka said. Anakin would. He always would.

“And . . . if he does not?” He leaned in close. _Real_ close. Uncomfortably close.

“He will!” she shot back, and the force of her tone was enough to drive him back just a hair.

“What makes you so sure?” the creature asked, swinging his head back around.

_Geez, he’s got really big lips. And sharp teeth . . ._

She could feel his breath on her cheek. She didn’t like it. If she had hair, she was sure it’d be standing straight up. All her instincts were telling her to _get away_ , but she couldn’t. Not with her hands bound.

Then, suddenly, he climbed further up the wall. There was a metallic click and her hands were suddenly no longer bound. Surprised, she slouched forward, stepping away from the wall. She rubbed at her wrists, which still had giant cuffs on them, but they were thankfully no longer attached to anything. At least she could move freely now. And she wouldn’t have to just stand there.

“Thank you,” she sighed. He might have been gross, but at least he freed her. Now she just had to hope he wasn’t looking for a ‘reward.’ Rex had one of her lightsabers – a small mercy – and the other had been taken by the Son. She looked up, but he was gone.

“The chains.” Whirling around, she saw that he was once again on the floor in front of her, groveling. “The chains are the easy part.” He tapped the side of his head. “It’s what goes on in here that’s hard. Don’t you see, child? You are alone now.” He circled her, taking her hand as if to lead her somewhere. “If you are to survive, you must forget your Master.”

_It’s what goes on in here that’s hard._

_It’s what goes on in here that’s hard._

_It’s what goes on in here that’s –_

Ahsoka placed her free hand on her forehead. Something was wrong. Why was she thinking that? She didn’t feel well.

She groaned. “I don’t think I –”

That’s when the creature yanked her arm towards him, opened his mouth, and sunk his long fangs into her flesh, biting clean through her bracer. She gave a cry of shock and pain and collapsed to one knee, holding the injured arm close to her chest.

“What have you done?” she demanded. She’d let her guard down. She’d let her guard down and this was what she got. What was going to happen to her now?

She was shaking.

“You are mine now,” rasped the creature, his voice changing dramatically.

She knew that voice.

The Son.

Everything went black. And lonely. And cold.

* * *

Obi-Wan approached the stairs leading to the monastery’s main entrance. After Anakin and Rex decided to rush recklessly in danger, that left him to be the one to do the logical thing when faced with insurmountable forces and go for help. It seemed that he only had to focus on finding the Father to lead him to the monastery again. The Force worked in strange ways.

Or perhaps something _wanted_ him to find the Ones again.

He was only a few meters from the front steps when he heard it.

“Perhaps I am tired of waiting!” shouted a voice. At the top of the stairs was a flash of bright red light and a limp body flew down towards him, causing him to take a shocked step back. The body of the Father lay at his feet. “I hate you!”

Obi-Wan looked to the top of the steps to see the Son standing there, staring down at him. A moment later, he’d shifted into his bat form and had taken flight, roaring angrily as he flew off into the night.

“Father!” cried the distraught voice of the Daughter.

Obi-Wan turned to see her descending the stairs at a run. In moments, she had joined him in kneeling over the old man’s inert form. She grasped him gently, tugging him close so that his head rested in her lap.

“What happened?” Obi-Wan asked. “What caused this?”

The Daughter shook her head. “I . . . I do not know. This is . . .” She trailed off. “Come. We must get him inside.”

“Is there any way I can help?”

“No,” said the Daughter, straightening, the Father cradled in her arms. “I believe this type of healing is beyond your knowledge.” Obi-Wan did know the basics of Force Healing, but nothing as complex as the healers at the Jedi Temple. And if _they_ could outclass him, he had no doubts that this being could do all that and much more. Perhaps he’d do more harm than good. So, he simply followed the Daughter as she strode back up the steps of the monastery. She carried the old man to a platform just above the throne; in front of a large, circular stained-transparasteel window. There, she laid him upon the floor and placed her hands over his head and chest. As she did so, a brilliant, golden light emanated from her palms. She swept her hands over the Father’s body – back and forth – her eyes closed and face serene.

_This is healing more powerful than I’ve ever seen. Power greater than that of any Jedi._

It was amazing. And terrifying.

A reminder of what exactly he, Anakin, Ahsoka, and Rex were up against. 

After several minutes, the Daughter stopped and looked over at Obi-Wan. “We will leave him to rest,” she said.

“I must talk to him,” Obi-Wan said.

“Not until he’s stronger.”

“But your brother is losing himself to the Dark Side,” Obi-Wan implored. Anakin was right: there was little time. And the Son was a growing danger both to himself, everyone present, and possibly the galaxy. “He’s taken our friend.”

“Then he must have his reasons,” the Daughter said.

“The same reason he had for attempting to murder your father?” he asked.

“He would never do such a thing.”

What? Hadn’t she heard the whole thing transpire? The Son hadn’t exactly been quiet about his assassination attempt.

“But I _saw_ him,” Obi-Wan said. She had to see reason.

“It is not his fault,” the Daughter said. “My nature is to do what is selfless, but my brother’s will always be to do what is selfish.”

“Then know you must help us.”

The Daughter stood, shaking her head. “I cannot interfere with the ways of the Force,” she said, moving to walk away. “My father forbids it.”

Obi-Wan stood his ground. He had to make her see reason. “Your brother will flee this place and wreak havoc on the universe. You and Anakin combined have the power to stop him.”

The Daughter was silent for a moment.

“Come with me.”

_Excellent._

Obi-Wan got to his feet and joined her. Together, they walked away from the Father as thunder rumbled in the distance.

Another storm was coming.

How long they traveled for, Obi-Wan couldn’t have said. Time clearly flowed strangely on the planet. It was daytime in the place they ended up in; a nondescript, triangular entrance to a cave. The Daughter led the way inside, through a short passage, and out into a huge cavern lit by a dim, green light from below. They found themselves on an outcropping of rock overlooking a huge pit. At the bottom, Obi-Wan could see some sort of carved stone platform amidst a sea of green flames.

_Stranger and stranger . . ._

Silently, looking troubled, the Daughter led Obi-Wan down a long set of stairs that circled the edge of the cavern. The stair wound around and around before finally stopping by a large rocky platform. Between it and the stone platform, there was an intermediate stone suspended in the air over the flames below.

The Daughter stopped. “I can go no further,” she said. “When you reach the altar, it will give you what you need.”

Obi-Wan looked up at her. “I . . . I don’t understand,” he said, shaking his head. What did that mean? Upon the . . . altar . . . there was a pyramid-shaped container of some sort. Inside it, Obi-Wan could make out a small shape. What it was, he couldn’t have said.

“He who wields the blade will be able to control my brother,” the Daughter explained.

That would have to do.

Taking a deep breath, Obi-Wan readied himself and then jumped onto the suspended rock. It held for a moment, then – just like a lift – lowered itself so it was level with the altar. Obi-Wan stepped out onto it, in-between the green flames that formed a ring around it, and approached the container. As he neared – amazingly – it seemed to sense his presence. The stone sides of it slid open, allowing him access to what lay within, also suspended in midair. It was a . . . hilt of some sort. Curved and carved with plenty of lines. Something ceremonial perhaps. Ancient. Of great importance. Obi-Wan reached out but hesitated for a moment. Should he do this? It seemed a drastic step to take.

_Do I have a choice?_

_Not if I want to stop the Son from hurting the others and possibly the entire universe, no._

So he reached in, grabbed the hilt and took it.

In his hand, he watched as a blue, ghostly light flowed from the hilt. From it sprung a wide, sharp blade about as long as his arm. It had weight to it; something that would take some getting used to after wielding a lightsaber for so long. He hoped it wouldn’t be a hindrance if he really needed to use it.

_This was a blade made for killing gods._

Yet another terrifying thought.

* * *

With Rex’s head start and the fact that he ran as though his life depended on it, he reached the tower before Skywalker. He was tired though, especially after some of the rough, rocky terrain he’d had to climb near the tower's base. Once there, he’d had little doubt as to where he should go.

Up. To the very top.

Mercifully, he found a lift in the center of the tower, that allowed him to rise all the way up. The interior of the tower, though he paid it little mind, was dark. Lit only by a few orange lights. Ominous. Rex didn’t have time for any of that. Mood. Tone. Whatever. His only focus was getting to Ahsoka.

She was here. He knew it.

He could _feel_ it.

But her presence was . . . muted somehow.

Was she dying? Fading?

Rex didn’t know, but the fear of that outcome only spurred him on.

_Can’t this damn lift go any faster?_

The lift stopped.

Rex was instantly in motion, running for an already open door on the opposite side of the lift. He was suddenly outside – in some sort of courtyard at the top of the tower. The ground was smooth and made of stone. Across the way, there was a single raised area where a tree stood. It had circular leaves. Rex didn’t care.

Ahsoka was obvious.

She was sitting cross-legged upon the ground several meters from the door. In plain view of anyone who would step through the main door. Why?

_It doesn’t matter._

He began walking toward her. “Littl’un,” he said. “Are you okay? What’s going on?”

No answer. Ahsoka’s eyes remained closed. Was she asleep? Dead?

_No. No she’s not!_

“Ahsoka!” he said, reaching out, his hand only an inch away from her face. “Are y–”

Her left hand suddenly shot out and grasped his bracer. Rex’s heart just about stopped. Her grip was vice-like; so tight he could feel it through the plastoid. Her eyes were still closed. The rest of her body hadn’t moved a muscle. She pulled, drawing Rex in close to her, yanking him down toward the ground until her face was the only thing he could see through his visor. He only just managed to keep his balance in his now lopsided stance.

Then, her lips moved.

“A corpse . . .” she said, “should be left well alone.”

Rex took several steps back, yanking his bracer from Ahsoka’s grip. “What the –”

Ahsoka sprang to her feet and opened her eyes. They were not the beautiful, ocean blue that they usually were. They were yellow. Now that he was looking more closely, Rex could see dark black veins cross-crossing her skin, eerily reminiscent of how she had looked when she’d been half-dead with the Blue Shadow Virus. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

“You shouldn’t be here, _Rexter_ ,” Ahsoka said, sauntering forward. The way she said his name made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. Once more, he felt like prey. This time, however, that notion set him on edge. She was smirking now, and her hips swayed more than usual. It was . . . unnerving. Wrong, somehow. “He doesn’t want you.”

“What – What are you talking about?” Rex asked, shaking his head. “What’s going on? Let’s get out of here.”

“Oh, I’m not going anywhere,” Ahsoka simpered, reaching forward and clutching Rex’s arm, pulling him close. “And neither are you.”

_I don’t like where this is going._

Ahsoka slid behind him. He could feel the weight of her body pressing against his armor; feeling – _searching?_ – for . . . what? He wasn’t sure. What was the purpose of all this? What was wrong with her? Had the Son melted her mind or something? Was she sick?

“Look,” Rex said, glancing back. “I’m not sure wh – _yow_!” He jerked away from Ahsoka, suddenly in pain, one hand reaching up to clasp the back of his neck.

_She bit me._

_She_ bit _me!_

“What the fuck was that for?” he demanded, staring back at Ahsoka, fully alert now.

She simply stood there, hands on her hips, weight shifted to one leg, and stared at him. Her face was triumphant somehow, and there was an odd glint in her discolored eyes that Rex had never seen before. Hunger? Something else? Slowly, her tongue left her mouth and she licked her lips.

“Just playing with my food,” she said huskily.

This was not Ahsoka. It may have been her body, but she was _not_ calling the shots.

Rex didn’t bother reaching for his blasters. They hadn’t done him any good this entire trip – he doubted they’d work now. Instead, he pulled Ahsoka’s shoto from his belt. Holding it two-handed in front of him, he shifted into a pose that he’d seen Skywalker strike hundreds of times. He flicked the short, yellow-green blade into life.

“Stay back,” Rex warned. “I don’t want you to hurt you, Ahsoka.”

She laughed uncontrollably, actually doubling over and clutching her stomach. The sound was high and cold, not warm and sweet like it should have been. Just another reminder that this _was not_ her.

“Hurt _me_?” she chuckled, regaining composure. “Don’t worry, then. There’s no chance of that.” She reached into her belt and drew her own lightsaber, holding it in her signature backhand grip and igniting it. “You have something that belongs to me.”

“Come and take it, kid.”

Letting out an angry roar, Ahsoka leapt through the air and swung her ‘saber vertically at Rex. He only just managed to block her, raising his own weapon and locking blades with her.

“Don’t call me that!” she spat, her features contorted in rage as she met his power with her own. She disengaged, raising her lightsaber over her head and bringing it down again and again on Rex’s blade, each strike radiating more power than the last, driving him backward.

Rex instantly realized that didn’t have a chance in hell.

_What was I thinking?_

He couldn’t beat Ahsoka in open combat. Whatever was driving her right now had all her skill and apparently more rage than she knew what to do with. Rage that was fueling her combat style. Rex was forced back, barely blocking blow after blow. A swipe at his head. A jab to the chest that he just barely dodged. A swing at his legs that he blocked just before he would’ve lost his right knee.

Rex wasn’t good with a lightsaber.

But he _was_ good at hand-to-hand combat.

He needed to get the fight on _his_ terms.

Rex stalled, dodging and blocking, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. It came when she once again attempted to ram her lightsaber into his chestplate. Instead of simply moving out of the way, Rex reached out with one hand and grabbed Ahsoka’s bracer, yanking her towards him and throwing her off balance. He saw the shock register on her features. She hadn’t expected any real challenge. Rex proved her wrong when, on instinct, he took the opening to swing the arm holding Ahsoka’s shoto towards her, the back of his gauntlet catching her across the face. There was an audible ‘whump’ and Ahsoka was sent spinning. She collapsed to the ground, her lightsaber spinning out of her hand and shutting off.

Rex stood there, shocked.

_Oh, god._

_Oh, fuck._

_I actually_ hit _her. I didn’t . . ._

“R-Rex . . .” Ahsoka gasped, slowly pushing herself off the floor, turned away from him. “You . . . you _hurt_ me . . .”

Had he literally knocked some sense into her? This was the most she’d sounded like herself since he’d walked into the courtyard.

Rex stepped toward her, reaching out one hand tentatively. “I . . . I’m sorry, littl’un. I didn’t . . . I just . . .”

He never finished his thought.

Ahsoka spun around and reached out both hands. Something like a physical blow hit Rex square in the center of his chest, sending him flying backward through the air.

 _It’s official, Captain: you’re a_ di’kut _. You fell for the oldest trick in the –_

Then he struck the tree that Ahsoka had been sitting in front of. All the breath left his lungs and the shoto flew from his hand as he bounced off the wood, his plastoid armor clattering as he hit the stone ground. He rolled forward a meter or two, finally coming to a halt at the edge of the raised area around the tree. In all the confusion, his helmet had been dislodged, flying off his head and coming to rest just out of his reach. He looked up.

Ahsoka was standing over him, her green lightsaber leveled at his throat.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” she growled. She spat blood onto the stone floor in front of him and reached out her free hand. From somewhere Rex couldn’t see, Ahsoka’s deactivated shoto flew towards her, settling into her hand. Sucking in air, he scrambled back a few inches. She followed him the whole time. “He doesn’t want you. He has no need of you. Not like _me_.”

Rex propped himself up on his elbows, meeting Ahsoka’s gaze defiantly. “Save it,” he spat. “I’m not helping you.”

“You misunderstand,” she smirked, her head titling slightly. “I’m not going to let you see the _truth_. I’m just going to kill you.”

Rex’s eyes darted between her face and the lightsaber that was only inches from the bridge of his nose.

“Then do it,” he said.

His eyes meet hers.

She wouldn’t. Ahsoka would never. He could feel it. Feel the denial somewhere in her. If he could just reach it. Reach _her_. The real her. She didn’t move. Ahsoka’s brows shifted, as though she were conflicted. Her mouth twitched. The lightsaber shook.

“R-Rex,” she gasped, a pained look overtaking her features. Her eyes flashed blue. “I can’t . . . y-you’ve got to –”

What he was supposed to do, Rex would never know.

Cutting herself off, Ahsoka let out a scream somewhere between agony and rage. She pulled her lightsaber back swiped at Rex. With nowhere to run to, nowhere to dodge to, he took the blow. White-hot pain erupted in his torso. He gasped and his eyes widened, every muscle in his body tensing. Looking down, he saw the huge, diagonal slash that had cut deep into him from the left of his sternum to the top of his right hip. The plastoid had blackened. He smelled burning flesh.

Rex’s head hit the stone ground, but he didn’t even feel it.

He stared up at the night sky, choking. After all this time, he was finally going to die. He’d survived all those battles, all those dangerous situations, just to be cut down by his own commander on a planet that didn’t really exist. Ahsoka stood over him, looking down with contempt and disgust written all over her features. She stepped over him.

She _hated_ him.

_No! No she doesn’t. Not really. This isn’t her._

She’d still killed him.

_It’s not – it wasn’t her fault._

He hoped she wouldn’t blame herself for this for the rest of her life. She had so much ahead of her. Rex never really had a future outside of war, so really, nothing of value was being lost here. Still, he wished he could’ve seen his brothers again.

He hoped Skywalker and Kenobi could still save Ahsoka.

His breathing slowed . . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Until I Bleed Out - The Weeknd
> 
> "A corpse should be left well alone."


	10. Echoes of Silence

**The Tower, Mortis**

Anakin bolted out of the elevator and into a strange courtyard atop the tower. Instantly, his eyes found Ahsoka. She was sitting cross-legged on a small raised area in front of a tree several meters ahead of him. Her back was turned. He was sure she heard his footsteps with that predator’s hearing of hers, but she didn’t react at all.

“Ahsoka,” Anakin called striding forth. “Ahsoka, it’s me. You’re safe now. Let’s go.” He looked up. Looked all around the courtyard, prepared just in case the Son sprang out, ready to fight. This could still be a trap. Obi-Wan was right: he knew Anakin would come for Ahsoka.

Where was Rex? He had to have gotten here first.

“Are you . . . proud of me, Master?” asked Ahsoka, sounding altogether too calm for the situation they were in. Why would she be asking something like that right now?

“What?” Anakin asked. “Uh . . . Of course, Snips. Of course I’m proud of you. Now let’s _get out of here_.”

“He’s right,” Ahsoka said, her head rising slightly. “Right about everything.” She stood suddenly, turning to face Anakin. “You _must_ join him.”

He noticed several things at once. Ahsoka’s eyes were no longer blue, but bright yellow. Black veins crisscrossed her skin. She moved unnaturally, almost as though she were a puppet attached to strings that he couldn’t see. She had been sitting in front of a feebly stirring body. A body covered in white and blue plastoid armor.

Ahsoka tilted her head slightly, holding her hands together in front of her. “He only wants what’s best for the universe,” she said, her voice rising in pitch eerily.

“Hey,” Anakin said, “what’s wrong with you? What did you do? What’s wrong with Rex?”

“Always with the criticism, Master,” Ahsoka spat, rolling her eyes, her voice suddenly full of vitriol. “Never _really_ believing in me, trusting me.” She turned away from him again. “Well, I don’t need you anymore.”

Something was wrong with her mind. She never talked like this before. _The Son has to be responsible for this. He’s . . . brought out the worst parts of her. Her insecurities. Something like that._

“Ahsoka,” Anakin pleaded. “Ahsoka, listen to me. He has done something to you. Snap out of it! This isn’t you, Ahsoka.”

“Isn’t it?” she snapped. She ran her hands down her face before throwing her arms out to her sides. “I feel more like myself than ever have!” She stiffened again. “He asked me to give you a message. He said: if you don’t join him, he will kill me!” She actually laughed at that, girlishly placing one hand over her mouth to hide her mirth.

“I won’t let him,” Anakin snarled.

She spun to face him. “Then _you_ will be forced to kill me!” She dropped into a fighting stance over Rex, using the Force to call her lightsaber into her hand, igniting the blade as her face contorted in rage.

Without any sign of hesitation, she leapt at Anakin. Reacting slowly due to his surprise, he only just managed to draw his lightsaber in time to block her first strike. On the offensive, she came at him again and again, slicing at him more wildly than she ever had in any sparring match between the two of them. She was possessed by some manic, powerful _rage_ that seemed to fuel every strike, every movement.

Anakin played defensive as best he could – dodging each strike and blocking when he couldn’t. He couldn’t kill her. He _wouldn’t_. there had to be some way to stop her. Knock her unconscious. Tire her out. Something that didn’t involve this all ending in tears. His mind cast back to Rex, lying before the tree, helmet resting on the ground next to him. What had happened? What had Ahsoka done to him? Been _forced_ to do? He could still sense the soldier’s life-force, but it was nowhere near as strong as it should be. And it was fading. He’d be dead soon if something wasn’t done to help him.

“I don’t want to fight you, Ahsoka,” Anakin said, losing focus for a moment.

She flipped backward, her foot shooting up and catching Anakin in the chin. The force of the blow actually sent him flying up through the air and caused him to lose his grip on his lightsaber, which went spinning away into the semi-darkness around him. He managed to land on his hands and knees. He had to shake his head to clear it.

“And now, the student will kill the master,” Ahsoka sneered from somewhere close by.

_I was definitely never_ this _crazy as a Padawan._

His hand shot up, reaching out through the Force. He felt his lightsaber fly through the air towards him. Seeing this, Ahsoka leapt at him again, her own ‘saber raised to deliver the killing blow.

_Not today._

The metal hilt slapped into his outstretched palm and he flicked the blade into life, bringing the weapon up just in time to lock with Ahsoka’s, driving her back.

“Getting ahead of yourself, aren’t you, Snips?” he growled, pushing himself to his feet.

“Don’t call me that,” Ahsoka shouted, baring her predator’s teeth, “I hate it when you call me that!” She spun to deliver another blow, but Anakin had clearly unbalanced her. He blocked twice more, before spinning his weapon and catching her off guard. She lost her grip on her lightsaber and it flew high up into the air, far out of her reach.

Before Anakin could subdue her, she ran at him, jumping up onto his own shoulders before using him as a springboard and leaping back onto the raised area around the strange tree. She raised one hand into the air, catching her ‘saber. She turned to face him once more, retrieving her shoto from her belt and flicking on both weapons.

“ _Two_ Jedi?” she said. Anakin glanced to his left. Obi-Wan had appeared out of nowhere at his side, his lightsaber already activated and at the ready. “Finally – a challenge.”

And she launched herself at them.

* * *

Obi-Wan had arrived at the tower with the Daughter with the intention of confronting him. They’d done exactly that. But when the Son had insinuated that Anakin was in trouble, he really had no choice but to run to the courtyard and assist him.

He ducked a swing from Ahsoka’s lightsabers and backed off, allowing Anakin to engage her and allow him to catch his breath. The two of them had fought side-by-side for over a decade – they knew each other’s style like the back of their own hands. When to strike, when to parry, when to switch out, when to be offensive, and when to be defensive. Neither of them had to communicate – not even through their Training Bond – for them to be able to read a fight. It wasn’t a skill he’d anticipated ever having to use against Ahsoka, of all people. Whatever the Son had done to her, it had corrupted her completely.

Anakin pushed Ahsoka to the ground and used the Force to push her away, buying them a few precious seconds.

“Any suggestions?” Anakin asked, glancing back at him.

“Yes,” Obi-Wan said, reaching to the back of his belt. “We cut her free.” He drew the hilt of the dagger and watched as the ghostly blue light engulfed it once more, revealing the stone blade.

“What is that?” Anakin asked. The look of surprise and confusion on his face would’ve made Obi-Wan chuckle in any other situation.

“It can kill the Son,” Obi-Wan told him.

From across the way, Ahsoka let out a roar of anger. “Where did you get that?” she demanded, her voice resonating with the deep tones of the Son. Obi-Wan smirked; he was hoping for a reaction like that. Now, he _knew_ the blade was dangerous. “Give it to me!” And she rushed at them again, both of her lightsabers raised.

Before she could strike, however, the huge glass wall behind them shattered. Two bodies flew out towards them – the Son and the Daughter. Obi-Wan and Anakin both dove out of the way to avoid the falling shards of glass as Ahsoka backed away as well, apparently no longer keen on pursuing the fight. As Obi-Wan picked himself up off the ground, he saw the Father alight on a raised area in front of a strange-looking tree, standing over a body. _Captain Rex!_ What had happened to him, he wasn’t sure, but he looked nearly dead. His face was pale. Eyes closed.

“So glad you could make it to our little party, Father,” spat the Son. Without hesitation, he raised one hand and sent red Sith Lightning towards the old man.

He raised his hands and caught the Force energy in a bubble before him. “You will stop this!” he ordered.

“You are too weak for me, old man,” the Son said, striding forward and, using his remaining hand, added a second stream of lightning to his assault. “You mean nothing to me anymore.”

Obi-Wan, Anakin, the Daughter, and even Ahsoka watched on, unable to do anything to intervene. As the seconds ticked by the Father seemed to shift. He was being pushed back by the force of the Son’s assault. He was slipping. Losing. The bubble in front of him broke suddenly, and he was sent flying backward over Captain Rex and into the tree. He hit the ground and struggled to rise.

The Son leapt onto the raised area and stepped over the clone, looking down at the Father with what was clearly triumph. The Father looked up at him, but he shot more lightning at him. This time, there was no barrier. The energy surged through the old men, sending him to the ground once more.

They only had one chance.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan called. “Now!” He tossed the dagger to his former apprentice. If anyone should stop the Son, it should be him.

It would have been. Had Ahsoka not leapt through the air, intercepting the dagger and landing, cat-like, upon the raised area. Right beside the Son. She waved the weapon in the air, taunting them with a self-pleased smirk.

_No . . ._

Obi-Wan and Anakin both pulled up short, standing beside the Daughter, who was still struggling to get to her feet.

The Son turned to Ahsoka. “Everything has transpired exactly as I planned,” he said.

The Father rose shakily to his feet once more, his eyes glued to the dagger in Ahsoka’s hand. “You . . . showed them the altar?” there was despair in his voice.

Obi-Wan knelt beside the Daughter and helped her to her feet. “I am sorry, Father,” she pleaded, stepping forward with his help. “I didn’t know how else to stop him.”

“Give it to me, child,” the Son prompted, holding one hand out.

She glanced back.

“Ahsoka, no,” Anakin ordered, his voice firm. Obi-Wan knew it would do no good. She was too far gone.

She held out the weapon.

The Son took it from her, looking at it lovingly. He swished it through the air twice. “Thank you,” he purred. He directed his next words at Obi-Wan and Anakin. “Now, I would like you to know that I am not completely without mercy.”

He snapped his fingers.

* * *

Rex gasped, his eyes shooting open.

What?

_Shouldn’t I be dead?_

Ahsoka had sliced open his stomach. Ahsoka . . .

As he blinked, his eyes slowly focused. Ahsoka was standing only a few inches from him, looking up expectantly at the Son, who held a long dagger in one hand. To his right, the Father was bent double, clutching at his torso in pain. To the left, Skywalker, Kenobi, and the Daughter all looked on with trepidation.

What the hell had he woken up to? He pushed himself up onto his elbows.

“Your usefulness has come to an end,” the Son said, looking down at Ahsoka. He reached out with his free hand and tapped two fingers against her forehead.

The next moments seemed to happen in slow motion.

Ahsoka’s yellow eyes seemed to fade. They rolled up into her head. She didn’t fall – falling would imply that she’d lost her balance or slipped or did something actively. She just _dropped_. Like a sack of rocks. Like a brother who’d been shot in the head or the heart. Like someone who was dead before they hit the ground. She crumpled in a heap at the Son’s feet. Her lightsabers slipped from her unfeeling hands.

Rex could only stare, unable to move. Unable to think.

He felt . . . nothing. He _couldn’t_ feel anything. No warmth. No light. Nothing.

“No!” Skywalker cried, his voice full of fury and anguish in equal measure. He rushed forward.

The Son barely paid him any mind, simply waving one hand and sending the young Jedi flying backward. As though he were nothing. Insignificant. He turned to the Father. “The Jedi have brought me the dagger,” he said, “and you have brought yourself. Now, Father, you will die.” He raised the weapon over his head.

Rex barely was aware. He was hyper-focused on Ahsoka’s unmoving form. His surroundings all but forgotten, he crawled forward on his hands and knees, ignoring the fiery pain that erupted in his stomach. He didn’t stop until he was directly over her. In the background, he heard someone scream.

“Father!”

A bright form flashed by in his peripheral vision.

He managed to shift himself into a sitting position, grabbing Ahsoka’s limp body and pulling her into his lap.

He looked up. The Son was slowly stepping away, staring at his hands. The Daughter was collapsed in the Father’s arms, the dagger protruding from her back. She’d launched herself in between the two of them. Sacrificed herself to save him. The Son screamed in rage, then launched himself into the air, transforming into a bat creature and taking flight. All Rex could do was stare. Unfeeling. Unthinking.

He was in shock. He knew the signs.

But whether that from physical or emotional anguish, he wasn’t sure. He looked down at the girl he held in his arms. The black veins still scarred her body. Her eyes were open and staring. There was no light in them. They were white mottled by dull red veins, completely misted over in the embrace of death. She was so small. So small.

This was it. Rex’s worst nightmare. It had come true.

Two pinpricks of water appeared on Ahsoka’s cheek. It took Rex a moment to realize that the wet spots were tears. He was crying. Sobbing. Over a corpse.

 _It should have been_ me _!_

I _was always supposed to die first._

_Why did this happen? How could this have happened?_

She was dead. Rex would never see her smile again. Never hear her laugh. Never high-five her after a successful mission. Never stare into her blue eyes. Never hug her when she needed comfort. Never see her become a Jedi Knight. Never learn where the rest of her life would take her. Because there was no ‘rest of her life.’

Never.

Suddenly, Skywalker and Kenobi were hovering over him.

“Rex,” said a voice. _Skywalker_. He’d knelt down next to him. “Rex, let me . . . let me see her.”

“No.” the word had left Rex’s mouth before he even had a chance to really think about. Tears were still rolling down his face and he was powerless to stop them. He probably looked like a disgrace of a soldier. How many of his friends – his brothers – had he seen die? And only now, only over Ahsoka, did he show any signs of loss.

“Rex.”

“Anakin,” General Kenobi said, his voice sober, placing a hand on his shoulder. “She’s . . . gone. It won’t do any –”

“My daughter,” gasped the Father. Rex looked up. He had laid her out on the ground, the dagger discarded and forgotten. “What have I done?”

She coughed wetly. “Do not hate him, Father,” she said, reaching up to grasp one of his shaking hands. “It is his nature.”

“No . . .” the Father murmured. Above them, Rex could see the strange tree breaking apart. Ghostly white gas seemed to seep from it as many of its leaves and its bark fell away, twisting in the air. “All is lost. The balance has been broken.” He looked at Skywalker. “I thought by bringing you here, I would . . . But I have destroyed everything.”

“Can you help her?” Skywalker asked desperately.

“There is no light,” the Father said, shaking his head as looked down at his dying child. “The evil has been unleashed, and the Dark Side shall consume her.

“You must help her!” Skywalker half-shouted.

“I cannot undo what is done. There is . . . no hope.”

“Yes, there is,” Skywalker insisted. “There’s _always_ hope!”

Rex had to admire his general for that. For standing up when there was clearly absolutely no chance to save Ahsoka. For trying. Even if it led to nothing. Rex only held Ahsoka tighter. She was growing cold. He cradled her to his chest, silently pressing his forehead against hers. Lost.

The Father stood suddenly. Skywalker did as well. What was going on? Had he missed something?

“Rex,” Skywalker said. “I need you to step away.”

“No.” It was the only word he seemed to know.

“Rex.” There was a hand on his shoulder. Kenobi. “It’s alright. He’s going to save her.”

_What?_

_But . . . But . . ._

Nothing. He had to trust the Jedi. Just as he always did. If there was any possibility – even an astronomically small one – that Ahsoka would be saved, Rex would not get in the way of that.

Gently, he set her down on the ground in front of him and backed away, grunting as the pain in his abdomen made itself known. He sat upon the ground. Kenobi stood behind him. Skywalker sat himself in-between Ahsoka and the Daughter and closed his eyes, raising his hands and placing them on each of their heads. The Father stood behind him, his arms raised.

“Then let my daughter’s last act be to breathe life into your friend,” he intoned.

As Skywalker's fingers touched each of their foreheads, there was a sudden flash of light so bright that Rex had to shield his eyes. The Daughter and Ahsoka both levitated off the ground, rigid, as Skywalker seemed to act as some sort of conduit for both of them. His eyes were open and glowing with white energy.

They stayed like that for several moments.

Then Skywalker doubled over, gasping. Ahsoka and the Daughter dropped to the ground. The light was gone.

Nothing happened.

Rex bowed his head. It hadn’t worked. Only now there were two dead bodies and no light left to spare. Nothing to hope for. What would he do now? A war – no, a _life_ – without Ahsoka . . .

Suddenly, someone coughed. Rex’s head shot up.

Ahsoka was gasping for air, pushing herself into a sitting position.

Letting out a noise somewhere between a laugh and a choking sob, Rex pushed himself forward. He and Skywalker both reached her at the same time, making identical movements. The two of them engulfed her in a huge bearhug.

“Hey, Snips,” Skywalker said softly, pulling back. Rex did as well, though he kept supporting her. Kenobi appeared at his side, smiling down at the little Togruta.

“What’s . . . going on?” she asked, looking confused and groggy, as if she had only just awoken from a deep sleep.

In a sense, she had.

Rex shuddered involuntarily.

“Uh, not much,” Skywalker said. “It’s good to see you.” And he stood. Skywalker really wasn’t good at emotional reunions.

Neither was Rex, come to think of it. He got to his feet as well, though he made sure Ahsoka was able to stand, placing his guiding hands on her shoulder and upper arm to make sure she didn’t lose her balance upon regaining the usage of both her legs.

“Th-thanks, Rex,” Ahsoka mumbled, accepting her lightsabers back from General Kenobi, who had retrieved the weapons and held them out to her. She looked up at him. “You don’t look so hot.”

_Stang._

Rex released her arm, but kept one hand on her shoulder – he _had_ to touch her; had to know that she was actually alive and this wasn’t some crazy hallucination brought on by grief – and ran one of his gloves down his face, wiping away what he hoped was most of the evidence of his breakdown.

“I-I’m fine, littl’un,” he managed to say with as steady a voice as possible.

“No, you’re not,” Ahsoka said, seeing right through him. “But . . . we’ll talk about it later. And I’ll ask you what happened to your stomach.” He glanced down, only now remembering that there was a huge lightsaber gash in his armor.

_Stang._

“As the balance in this world crumbles,” said the Father, turning away from the group, “so shall war escalate in your galaxy.” He knelt over the body of the Daughter. “As my son has descended into the Dark Side, so have the Sith gained strength.”

“We will stop your son,” Skywalker assured him.

“No,” said the Father, shaking his head and holding the Daughter’s limp hand tightly in his. “You must go. Now. He needs your ship to leave the planet. You must leave before he can take it.”

“What about you?” Kenobi asked.

The old man looked down. “I shall mourn all that I have done . . . and all that is yet to be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Echoes of Silence - The Weeknd
> 
> Dark Ahsoka kinda freaked me out when I was younger
> 
> Hold onto your hats, kids. We're not out of this yet.
> 
> Just a head's up: I'm probably going to slow down the upload schedule after the Mortis Arc is finished. Thanks to college, I don't have as much time to write and now I'm posting way more chapters than I'm writing. I've only just finished writing the chapters that chronicle the Padawan Lost incident (which is too close for comfort). I'm not exactly sure what the new schedule will look like, but I'll keep you all posted.


	11. What Difference Does It Make

**Crashed _Eta_ -class shuttle, Mortis**

Anakin sat just behind Obi-Wan on the exit ramp of their crashed ship, staring out into the rainy night. Behind them – in the cockpit – Rex was sitting on the edge of a crevice in the floor, handing tools to Ahsoka while she worked tirelessly to assess the damage and see if she and Anakin could fix things.

“I’m getting a little tired of how unreliable the weather is here,” Obi-Wan remarked.

“Some might say that’s part of the appeal,” Anakin remarked without much feeling. He felt . . . conflicted.

“You did well, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said, turning to look back at him. “How do you feel?”

Anakin sighed, shaking his head. “I’m not sure we’re doing the right thing by leaving,” he admitted. “The Son is consumed by the Dark Side.” And it had been Anakin’s mere presence here that had caused all the damage of the last few days, even if the Father had ultimately decided they should be here.

“And if we stay,” Obi-Wan pointed out, “we may be used to the Dark Side’s advantage.”

There was a clanging from inside the cockpit, and both men turned to see Rex shifting aside as Ahsoka peeked her head up from inside the floor. She held a wrench in one hand and wore a pair of welding goggles over her eyes. Several oil stains decorated her clothes, face, and montrals. It was a big improvement over how she’d been a few hours ago: dead.

“Well,” she said, as if bracing them, “you want the bad news or the really bad news?”

“Well, let’s try the bad news laced with a little optimism,” Obi-Wan said, stepping up the ramp to get a better look.

Ahsoka shrugged, pushing herself out of the floor. “We’ve got two cracked shilo pins,” she reported, “a busted power converter, the engines should be fired twice to dump debris, and the backup vents need charging.”

That was a tall order.

“Sounds terribly downbeat,” Obi-Wan muttered, stroking his beard.

Ahsoka hopped down into the floor again, leveling an ‘I-told-you-so’ look back at him.

Anakin grabbed a small, folded speeder bike from their store in the living area and walked it out into the main hall. There was somewhere he needed to go. Someone he had to see. Especially since repairs would be taking quite a while by the looks of things.

“Can it be fixed?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Uh, I can reroute the primary initiator, weld the dampening vents, and that _might_ give us enough power to leave the atmosphere,” came Ahsoka’s voice from below the deck. “After that, I have no guarantees she’ll hold together.”

“We’ll take our chances,” he heard Obi-Wan say as he guided the speeder down the exit ramp. “Better than staying here.” He then followed Anakin down the ramp. “Where are _you_ going?”

“To see the Father,” Anakin answered, unfolding the speeder and powering it up. He boarded it. “I’m not convinced that the Son will be contained here without our help. Perhaps we should make a stand.”

“Anakin . . .”

“If I don’t get the Father’s blessing to leave,” he said, cutting his Master off to avoid whatever lecture about balance he was surely about to receive, “it’ll haunt me forever.”

He didn’t give Obi-Wan a chance to respond. He just kicked the ignition and took off.

* * *

Ahsoka poked her head out of the ship’s innards and peered out of the cockpit. She could see Obi-Wan gazing off into the distance. No Anakin.

“He’s gone off on his own again, hasn’t he?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Rex nodded. He’d been unusually quiet since they’d returned from the tower. That mixed with the huge stretch of time that Ahsoka was missing in her memory set her on edge. _What happened between me getting bitten and me waking up with everyone standing over me?_

She shivered. She _had_ to know.

Ahsoka glanced out of the cockpit once more, just to make sure that she wouldn’t be overheard. Obi-Wan still standing at the bottom of the exit ramp, staring off into the distance. Probably meditating. Just in case, Ahsoka reached up and used the Force to shut the door to the cockpit.

Rex’s head jerked toward the door. Then, he looked down at Ahsoka. “Er, ma’am?”

She leaned onto the floor next to one of his legs. “Alright, Rex,” she said. “It’s time for that talk.”

“Oh,” Rex said, looking away. “Right.”

“Take your helmet off.”

He was silent for a moment, still not looking at her. Then, sighing, he reached up and removed his helmet, placing it on the floor beside and behind him. “Okay, littl’un,” he said, finally meeting her gaze. _He looks so tired . . ._ “What do you want to know?”

Did she really want to know? Her heart was beating faster now, scared of what he would say. Could it really be that bad? She was too curious. She couldn’t help herself.

“What happened on top of the tower?”

She waited. Rex was silent.

“What . . . do you remember?”

Ahsoka’s brows furrowed as she racked her brain, scrounging up every bit of memory from the last few hours. “I remember . . .” she started. “Being kidnapped by the Son. He brought me to the tower and held me in a prison area of some sort. Then . . . then some kind of, uh, _creature_ appeared. It talked to me . . . tried to get me to think no one was coming for me. He was . . .” she shivered, remembering how close the thing had gotten to her. Remembering his breath on her skin. His eyes burrowing into hers; hungering, “ _creepy_. But he set me free. And then he bit me.” She raised her right arm to eye level, examining her bracer. Sure enough, there were two puncture marks in the material. No blood, though. “He started to sound like the Son. I . . . I guess I passed out because I don’t know what happened next. I just felt . . . I felt cold and dark. And then . . . nothing. And then I woke up on the floor next to the Daughter with you all standing over me acting like I’d . . . I dunno, died or something.”

Rex cringed, his fingers gripping the edge of the hole in the floor. “Well . . . you _were_ dead.”

“I – _what_?”

“You died. The Son killed you.”

_That doesn’t make any – that_ can’t _be true!_

But Rex was dead serious. He was clearly in no mood or state to be joking around; he was telling the truth. Ahsoka’s hand went to her chest almost unconsciously. Yes, her heart was still beating. She was alive.

“What . . .” she struggled to find the right words. “What do you – _how_? What happened?”

Rex shifted uncomfortably, his eyes flitting away from her once more. Why couldn’t he look at her? His hands retracted into his lap and he held them tightly together; one open hand closed around his other’s fist. He didn’t speak for some time. Ahsoka waited, her trepidation only growing by the second.

“The Son . . .” Rex finally said. “When he bit you, I think he must’ve plagued your mind or something. I got to the tower first. Had your shoto with me. Found you sitting in front of that tree. I, er, I tried to get you to come with me, but you wouldn’t leave. You acted . . . strange. And you, er . . . you bit me.” He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, but Ahsoka wasn’t sure if that was on instinct or on purpose.

“Uh, I _what_?”

“You bit me,” Rex repeated, looking extremely awkward. He patted the back of his neck. “Right here. I dunno why . . .”

Ahsoka glanced away, blushing. “Must be some, uh, instinctual Togruta thing . . . I guess . . .” Best not go into that now. Neither of them spoke. “What . . . what happened then?”

“We fought.”

“What?”

“We fought,” Rex said. “Like, with lightsabers. I pulled your shoto and you came at me, and . . . I had to defend myself.”

_I fought Rex. I can’t believe it_.

She and Rex had hardly ever fought verbally before. Never physically, and certainly not with lightsabers. She’d fought him – with the intent of killing him – and she couldn’t remember a thing. _What did I do?_

“How . . . how did you beat me?” Ahsoka asked. If she had all her Force powers and experience with a lightsaber, how had Rex survived and come out on top? She was, of course, thankful that he had. If she’d hurt him – even if she wasn’t totally in control – how could she possibly live with herself?

“I . . . didn’t.”

What?

“Did Anakin or Obi-Wan show up and help?” Ahsoka asked.

“No.”

“Then –”

“I, er . . . made a mistake,” Rex said, cutting across her. He looked as though he was steeling himself to say something. “I knocked you off balance and I . . . I . . . I hit you.” He said the last few words in a rush and immediately looked away, as though he could bear to look her in the eyes for another second. “I-I didn’t mean to. It was a combat instinct and I-I shouldn’t have done it.”

Ahsoka almost laughed, though for some reason her jaw felt a little tender just then. Muscle memory? She rubbed at it. “Rex,” she said, raising her brow at him. “Is _that_ what’s got you so on-edge? I don’t even remember that. And if I was trying to kill you, well . . . I guess I kinda had it coming.” She was still trying to come to terms with that, let alone her supposed ‘death.’ “What happened after that?”

Rex didn’t look assuaged in the slightest. “After that,” he said, taking a breath, “you took back the upper hand. I let my guard down because I’d . . . you know . . . Anyway, I ended up on my back and you took your shoto back. You said you were going to kill me. You had your lightsaber pointed at my chest.”

Ahsoka’s eyes darted involuntarily toward Rex’s stomach. Toward the lightsaber gash in his armor. Had she . . .?

_No. No! I’d never hurt any of my men! I’d never hurt_ Rex _! That can’t be true._

“Did Anakin and Obi-Wan show up then?” she prayed that they had.

She was to be disappointed.

“No.” The word was ragged as it left Rex’s mouth. “You – the real you – fought. I could see it. I . . . I could _feel_ it. But . . . you lost. And you, er . . . cut me open.” He slapped his stomach in an almost comical manner.

_I could feel it._ Those words struck a chord in Ahsoka’s brain but were almost immediately pushed aside as she realized what had happened. What she had done. She sucked in air, suddenly unsteady on her feet. She reached out and grabbed the closest thing – which happened to be Rex’s leg – to steady herself. She closed her eyes and suddenly she saw it. As if conjured up by the mere mention of its occurrence, the memory played itself in her mind’s eye.

She stood over Rex, the pathetic, stupid clone who’d tried to stand in her way, who’d _fought back_. She knew she had to kill him; that was what _he_ wanted. Rex would just get in the way now. But . . . but . . . this was _Rex_. He’d fought beside her for two years. Been her friend. Accepted her. She just . . . couldn’t.

“Then do it,” Rex said, meeting her gaze

The lightsaber shook. She shook. Something inside her just wouldn’t let her _do it_.

Her mouth moved without her consent. “R-Rex,” she gasped. _Shut up!_ “I can’t . . . y-you’ve got to –”

And then she snapped back to herself. Letting out a scream of rage, she raised her lightsaber and swung it downward in an arc, cutting open the clone’s midsection. He gasped and spasmed for half a second, his mouth open in a mixture of surprise and pain, before going limp and collapsing back onto the ground.

Ahsoka blinked, snapping back to the present.

_I . . . I did it._

_I killed Rex!_

_Oh, Force . . ._

“Littl’un?” asked a voice. “Ahsoka!” Her head snapped up. Rex was looking down at her, worried. Now, she was the one glancing away. “Are you okay?”

“How did it end?” Ahsoka choked out. Rex was still alive, despite having taken a normally fatal blow to the abdomen. Ahsoka herself had apparently died. The Daughter was dead. The balance had been broken. Ahsoka needed to know how things wrapped up.

Rex paused. “Skywalker and Kenobi showed up,” he explained. “I wasn’t really awake for that bit, but I know there was a fight. Kenobi had some sort of dagger capable of killing those beings. Somehow, you ended up with the dagger and . . . you gave it over to the Son. I don’t know why, but I think he brought me back then. Then he said ‘your usefulness has come to an end,’ and he tapped your forehead and . . . you just _dropped_ . . .” His voice hitched.

Ahsoka finally looked up at him. “And . . .”

“You were dead. For three minutes.” Rex was just staring down at his hands now. He had that thousand-meter stare. “Those were the worst three minutes of my life,” he mumbled, shaking his head. “The Son tried to kill the Father, but the Daughter put herself between them. She was fatally stabbed by that dagger. The Son seemed to actually feel remorse for that.” He snorted darkly. “So he left. Skywalker convinced the Father to save you. They transferred what was left of the Daughter’s life force into you. That’s why you’re still alive.”

Ahsoka just stood there, looking up at Rex, trying to take in everything that he’d just said. Everything that she’d done.

“Rex, I . . .” she struggled to find words. “I’m _so_ sorry. I-I should’ve been able to stop myself. I didn’t mean to hurt you or – or _anyone_! I can’t believe I –”

Rex reached out suddenly and grabbed one of the hands that rested on his thigh. “Ahsoka,” he said, and that momentarily snapped her out of her remorse and panic. Never before had he ever initiated any kind of touch between them. It was always her seeking contact, not him. Not this time. “You were manipulated and mind-controlled. It _was not_ your fault.”

“But I did all that,” Ahsoka insisted. “And I hesitated! I-I could’ve stopped myself – I almost did! You saw me do it. But I didn’t!”

“You can’t blame yourself for that,” Rex said. “General Kenobi keeps saying we’re messing with stuff we shouldn’t be. We’re all out of our depth. If even Skywalker of all people is having trouble contending with these beings, then you shouldn’t beat yourself up over getting overpowered.”

“But . . . But I _killed_ you!” Ahsoka said. “Or I almost did. And I almost helped the Son kill the Father. If the Daughter didn’t sacrifice herself, who knows what could’ve happened? And then Anakin and the Father used what was left of her life force to bring me back . . .”

“She asked them to,” Rex said. “She gave them her blessing to do it. Some of her probably lives on in you. Look at it that way. Look at it any way you like as long as you realize you’re _not_ at fault. Everything turned out alright for us – there’s no point in dwelling on what _could’ve_ happened.”

Ahsoka looked down. Could she do that? Could she forgive herself for what had almost happened? What she’d almost done? Because . . . well, Rex was right. She hadn’t actually been in control and she hadn’t accomplished any of the evil deeds she’d been set out to do. She met Rex’s gaze once more.

“I . . . I’m not sure,” she said.

A feeling of total warmth – total comfort – suddenly enveloped her. Where had it come from? She wasn’t sure. It was obviously foreign to her; she wasn’t feeling anything of the sort. There was no one else around. No one besides _Rex_. Could that possibly mean what she thought it meant?

“Can you?” he asked. “Can you do that for me?”

The feeling intensified; like the biggest, most comforting hug she had ever experienced. She felt the golden energy flow through her entire being; from the tips of her montrals to the bottom of her feet. Letting out a long, relieved sigh, she leaned against Rex and wrapped her arms around his middle. Nothing happened for a moment, and then his arms settled around her shoulders, pulling her as close as he could.

“I can try,” she whispered.

They were going to have to have another talk.

But later.

* * *

Anakin paused on the steps leading up to the small, one-floor structure he’d been drawn to. Seeking out the Father hadn’t been hard – he was like a great well of Force energy. That energy had led him here. He looked up to see the old man standing in front of the building, using the Force to move a circular, flat stone slab in front of the door. He knew instantly that it was a mausoleum. For the Daughter.

“You should have left by now,” said the Father.

“Our ship needs repairs,” Anakin said simply, continuing his climb upward.

“Do not underestimate my son,” said the Father, causing him to pause once more. He knew exactly why Anakin had come. “He will seek your ship to escape our isolation and sow terror through the universe.” He turned toward Anakin and stepped down to meet him. “And while you are here, he will use you to do it.”

Didn’t he realize that Anakin already knew that? After he’d turned Ahsoka against them and killed her? He needed to be stopped.

“What will you do now that he’s given himself over to the Dark Side?” Anakin asked.

“It is my actions that have unleashed great danger on the universe,” the Father said, tiredly. “I must . . . kill him.”

“But he’s too powerful for you alone,” Anakin protested.

“Hmm, perhaps. Perhaps not.” He began walking down the stairs and Anakin trailed after him. “The Force will decide.”

“I can help you,” he offered.

“The choice is no longer yours to make,” the Father said. “Both our destinies are clouded. This place is strong with the Force.” He gestured at the area surrounding them. “Darkness has no hold here.” He pointed ahead. “Go. Ask and you will know what to do.”

The conversation was over. For now, at least. There was still surely much to do with the Son on the loose.

Anakin grimaced, nodded, and walked back down to the base of the steps, leaving the Father behind. Ask? Ask who? Was the Force just going to answer him? With nothing better to do, he squared his shoulders and walked away from the mausoleum; into the rocky hills that surrounded the place. He didn’t have to walk very far before he found what he was looking for.

“You have grown strong and powerful, just as I imagined,” said a voice.

Another ghost from Anakin’s past.

He looked up to see the glowing, spectral form of Qui-Gon Jinn looking down at him from one of the nearby rock outcroppings.

“Master?” Anakin asked. Was it really him here? Or was it just another trick? The Father had said that the Dark Side had no power here.

“Do you believe you are the Chosen One?” Master Qui-Gon asked.

“How can I know?” Anakin asked.

“I can tell you what I believe,” Qui-Gon said. “I believe you will bring balance to the Force, that you will face your demons and save the universe.”

“And-and this creature of the Dark Side?” Anakin persisted, stepping forward. “Do I leave? Or do I stay and kill him?” He had to know. Had to get guidance somehow.

“Neither.” What? “Look deeper. You will find another way.”

Anakin sighed. Had this whole thing been a mistake? Another way? “I don’t understand,” he said.

“Not far from here,” Qui-Gon said, “there is a place which is strong in the Dark Side of the Force. You must go there.”

“And . . . destroy the Son?” Anakin asked, wanting a straight answer.

He should have known better. “Remember your training, Anakin,” Qui-Gon said, simply. “Trust your instincts.”

“Master,” Anakin said, but Qui-Gon was already fading away; becoming nothing more than fog. “Master!”

But he was gone. And Anakin was left with more questions than answers. He closed his eyes, focusing his senses.

Yes. There it was.

A well of the Dark Side. Not far, just like Qui-Gon had said.

Anakin turned back and started walking toward the mausoleum, headed for his speeder. It seemed there was at least one more trip to make.

* * *

Obi-Wan paused at the door to the cockpit, holding a small cup of caf he’d retrieved from the living quarters.

_Knock? Open? Walk away?_

He settled on open. He was planning his own departure and needed Ahsoka and Rex to be vigilant. Anakin had been gone far too long for his liking and he needed to go and find him. Who knew what could be happening to him at this very moment? He didn’t trust anything on this world. So many things were complicated. The Force was unbalanced. He wasn’t sure what to do exactly but he knew none of them should be going off on their own. Even Anakin.

Obi-Wan stepped into the cockpit and glanced around. No sign of anyone. Actually, Rex’s helmet was sitting on the floor. It was unusually quiet. Raising an eyebrow, he stepped forward and peered into the open section of the floor. Captain Rex was lying on his back on the floor inside the hole, his eyes closed and his hands folded over his stomach. Asleep. Nuzzled into his shoulder was Ahsoka, goggles still on her face, asleep as well.

_Interesting._

“Might I suggest less sleeping and a little more working?” he asked, kneeling over the hole and holding out the cup.

Ahsoka’s eyes opened. She glanced around, finally focusing on his face. “Oh, sorry, Master Kenobi,” she said, slowly getting to her feet and pulling her goggles up.

“Here, this should help,” Obi-Wan said, offering the cup to her. She reached out and took the cup from him, sipping at it. He glanced down at the still sleeping clone captain. “What’s this?”

“Oh,” Ahsoka said. She paused, as though she were thinking. “Rex . . . told me about what happened in the tower. I just . . . I didn’t want to be alone.”

“I see,” Obi-Wan said, standing. That was understandable. “We need to change plans.” He stood and backed into the main corridor. “You must focus on the firing drives. Disengage them.”

“But I’m almost finished putting this junk heap back together,” Ahsoka protested, setting the cup down on the floor next to her, “and now . . .”

“Just . . . do as I say,” Obi-Wan said, pulling another speeder out of its dock and pushing it down the exit ramp. “We don’t have much time.”

“Mmm. You’re the boss.”

As Obi-Wan pushed the speeder out into the night, he found a figure he wanted nothing to do with waiting for him. The Father.

“Where’s Anakin?” Obi-Wan asked.

“He came to me for guidance,” the Father told him, “but at the crossroads, only he can choose. The Force will be his guide now.”

“I don’t like this,” Obi-Wan said, shaking his head. “What have you done?” The Father’s meddling had so far only brought danger and disaster. Who was to say this time would be any different?

“I have done nothing,” the Father replied, turning away. “I am merely letting the will of the Force take shape.”

“Where has he gone?” If Anakin wasn’t with the Father, then he had gone off with some new mission in mind. A possibly damaging one.

“To the Well of the Dark Side,” the Father said, glancing back.

_Oh, no . . ._

Obi-Wan activated the speeder. “Anakin’s gone to confront your son, hasn’t he?” he demanded. A noise behind him drew his attention, and, turning, he saw that Ahsoka and Rex had appeared on the exit ramp, apparently drawn by the noise of the discussion.

The Father turned and gestured behind him. “Deep within this planet exists a place where all that is Dark is channeled.”

“And how do I get there?” Obi-Wan asked, boarding the speeder.

“You cannot interfere!” the Father warned.

“The way I see it,” Obi-Wan retorted, “if we were not supposed to interfere, Ahsoka, Rex, and I would not be here in the first place.” He whipped his head around to look at the Padawan and the clone captain. “Look after the ship, I’m going to find Anakin.”

“Yes, sir,” Rex nodded.

With that, Obi-Wan gripped the speeder’s handles and gunned the engine, taking off into the distance. He was sure he’d be able to find a Well of the Dark Side on sense alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What Difference Does It Make - The Smiths
> 
> And the water only becomes more muddied


	12. To Kill a Demon

**The Well of the Dark Side, Mortis**

Anakin maneuvered his speeder over open space as he entered the huge, cylindrical hole in the ground. It extended downward at least a few kilometers into the planet. Below, he could see a pit of fire and lava at the base bottom of the Well. A dangerous, Dark place.

As Anakin drew closer to the base, he saw a rocky platform that sat above most of the lava, a glowing symbol upon it. That seemed to be his best bet. He angled his speeder toward it and alighted on the rocks, powering his vehicle off and disembarking, looking around suspiciously. He needed to be on his guard. With the Dark side, anything was possible.

He knew his senses were being clouded. There was just _so much_ Darkness.

“Welcome.”

Anakin spun, surprised. Behind him, where he had not been before, was the Son. He walked toward Anakin, his arms outstretched as though he were welcoming an old friend. Not someone who very clearly wanted him dead.

“I believe there has been a misunderstanding,” the Son said, stopping a meter away from Anakin and clasping his hands behind his back. “We really don’t have to be enemies.”

“You murdered your sister,” Anakin accused, stepping closer. “The Force is out of balance. I have to stop you.”

“Must you?” the Son asked, actually smiling. “And am I so bad? I did saved that friend of yours, didn’t I?”

He had saved Rex . . . but he’d also killed Ahsoka. Why? Because he could? Did he do it just to cast doubt on his own actions? To have a plausible excuse? Yes. That was certainly it. He just wanted to confuse them.

Anakin drew his lightsaber and assumed a ‘ready’ stance.

“There is no use for such crude implements here,” said the Son, calmly. He raised one hand. Suddenly, Anakin’s lightsaber shut itself off and was tugged from his grasp. It rocketed into the Son’s open hand. He held it tightly and placed it behind his back before turning away. “I have a gift for you.”

“I’ve had enough of your trickery,” Anakin insisted. He was done with the games. Done with the scheming. He just wanted to do the right thing and get the hell away from this place.

“Oh, but you’ll like this one, I promise,” the Son assured him in that smooth voice of his. He began to circle Anakin slowly. “What if I could show you . . . the future?”

And he backed away.

Instantly, something was wrong.

Anakin backed up, placing his hands on the side of his head. He felt pain. “No. No!” he protested. “Stop it!” Something was coming.

“Know yourself,” the Son urged, his voice lowering in pitch. “Know what you will become!”

Dark red smoke filled Anakin’s vision. He shut his eyes but he could not escape the scenes that began playing out in his mind. There were groans of pain, moans of despair. The cries of the dead and dying filled his ears until that was all he could think about. All he could focus on.

“I will not look!” Anakin screamed.

But he had no choice.

“The Force is strong with you,” uttered a deep, raspy voice Anakin both knew and did not know.

A man in a black cloak with gray, deformed skin shot Sith Lightning from his hand.

A dark figure with a blue lightsaber approached a youngling who cowered in fear, raising the weapon to deliver the killing blow.

“Anakin, please!” cried Padmé, reaching towards him even as someone unseen choked her through the Force.

“You were my brother, Anakin!” Obi-Wan shouted in anger. He activated his lightsaber and swung.

“A powerful Sith . . .” muttered that strange voice again.

“I hate you!” that was his own voice.

Millions of voices cried out in fear. In pain. In confusion. A planet had been destroyed. Blown apart by a weapon that did not exist.

Anakin dropped to his knees. Something clicked.

“No,” he muttered. “ _No_. No!”

And then there was breathing. Slow. Mechanical. The shape of . . . something.

He understood. The Son was right.

* * *

Obi-Wan landed his speed right next to Anakin’s and disembarked at the speed of light. The Well, just as he had predicted, had not been hard to find. The Darkness called like a beacon, beckoning him into its depths. That was certainly not a reassuring thought. Where was Anakin? Here was his vehicle, but he himself was nowhere to be found. Had something already gone wrong? Was he too late? He placed one hand on his lightsaber, ready to draw it at the first sign of trouble.

Footsteps.

Obi-Wan whipped around, tensing, only to relax upon seeing it was only Anakin.

“Anakin,” he said, relief coursing through him, “are you alright?”

“There has been a change of plan,” Anakin said. And he turned, reached out with the Force, and pushed his own speeder of the rocky plateau and into the lava. “Sorry.” _What in blazes is he doing?_ “You will not understand what I have to do to end the Clone War.” He approached Obi-Wan’s speeder. That was when he saw that Anakin’s eyes were now yellow. Dark circles ringed them. “You will try to stop me.”

_Oh, no . . ._

“Anakin, I –”

Pain and electricity suddenly coursed through Obi-Wan’s body, turning him rigid as all his muscles tensed in agony. He was thrown bodily to the side, pushed to the ground as though he were nothing. Insignificant. Gasping, he slowly pushed himself onto his hands and knees, only to see that the Son had now appeared.

“Anakin, why?” Obi-Wan demanded.

“I’m sorry,” Anakin said. And he sounded absolutely earnest, which was the most disturbing part of all. “I have seen that it is the Jedi who will stand in the way of peace.” With that, he got on Obi-Wan’s speeder as he struggled to his feet, powered it up, and took off.

The Son turned to Obi-Wan, grinning. “He’s _mine_ now,” he said, triumphant. Cackling maniacally, he turned into his huge bat form and leapt into the air, flying away and leaving Obi-Wan stranded in the Well. He could do nothing but watch as the Son and his former Padawan left him behind.

What had gone wrong?

* * *

Rex leaned back in the co-pilot’s chair and watched as Ahsoka worked inside the ship, waiting for her to give him the all-clear signal to dump the engines. The whole thing was nearly ready to go. Just a few more adjustments and things should be back to normal. At least, they hoped. Rex was no mechanic. He just had to trust Ahsoka.

He could do that.

After their earlier chat and nap, she seemed to be feeling better. Rex certainly was. He’d calmed down a bit after having almost lost her, and they seemed to be alright again. He . . . well . . . he _felt_ that she was just about back to normal. He wondered if she could feel that he was Force-sensitive. He hoped not. The fewer people that knew, the less danger he was in. If the Kaminoans, the GAR, or the Jedi knew that a clone was Force-sensitive, there was a whole host of things that could go wrong. He could be reconditioned. He could be terminated. He could be ousted from the army.

It would be better if he just kept this under his bucket and learned to live with the knowledge of what he could do. He needed to be very careful about this.

Ahsoka’s commlink suddenly went off.

“Ahsoka, come in, please,” said General Kenobi’s frantic voice. “Can you hear me? Ahsoka!”

_That doesn’t sound good._

Ahsoka popped up from the open cavity in the floor, opening her link. “Yes, Master,” she said. “Any success with Anakin?”

“No, quite the opposite.”

_Uh-oh._

Rex leaned forward, hoping to hear better.

Ahsoka glanced over at him, looking worried. “Master . . .” she said, “what are you saying?”

“Anakin has joined with the Son,” Kenobi reported. Ahsoka’s mouth dropped open. Rex’s eyebrows shot up. How had this happened? How was this _possible_? “Do not engage him.”

“But –”

“Just do as I say,” Kenobi cut her off. “Listen to me. You have to disable the ship.”

“But I just finished putting it back together,” Ahsoka pointed out.

“Ahsoka, please listen,” Kenobi continued. “We have to prevent Anakin and the Son from leaving.”

“Yes, Master,” Ahsoka said, actually nodding. She cut the link.

Both were silent for several seconds. Neither moved.

“Do you . . .” Rex started. “Do you think that’s true?” How could it be?

“If Obi-Wan said so, it has to be,” Ahsoka staring at him. She shook her head. “But I can’t – I don’t know how that could be true . . .” Suddenly her head whipped toward the rear of the ship. Rex froze; her montrals had picked up something his ears couldn’t. Then he heard it.

It was the engine of a speeder bike. And it was getting closer.

_Shit, shit, shit._

Rex was already halfway across the room, snatching up his helmet and jamming it onto his head when Ahsoka joined him in the doorway. “Hide!” she hissed.

Hide? Where? They still needed to escape and the _Eta_ wasn’t exactly a big ship. Ahsoka, in the meantime, leapt upward and clung to the ceiling.

_Oh, to be a Jedi and an acrobat . . ._

Then, he felt what he supposed was the Force constricting around him, lifting him up into the air. He glanced up to see Ahsoka holding out one hand, her eyes screwed up in concentration, as she lifted him up toward the ceiling as well.

Barely half a second later, General Skywalker stalked into the shuttle, eyes trained on the cockpit. He looked different. His posture was all wrong; rigid and dangerous, like some sort of prowling predator. Something was certainly off about him. But had he really turned? Or was he being mind-controlled as well?

_It has to be mind control. It_ has _to be._

The moment Skywalker entered the cockpit, Ahsoka quietly set Rex down on the floor before letting go of the ceiling and dropping out of the ship, landing gracefully on the bottom of the exit ramp. As stealthily as he could, Rex hastened to follow her. Together, they hustled away from the shuttle and towards the speeder that had only just appeared a few meters from it. It must have been the one Skywalker had used to leave and return.

Ahsoka quickly seated herself upon it and kicked it into gear, taking a moment to place something small and metallic that she held in one hand into a pouch at her belt.

“What was that?” Rex asked, taking a seat behind her.

“Power conduit to the main controls,” she explained, turning the speeder around and taking off in the direction of the tower. “No one’ll be able to leave with it missing.”

_Good. That oughta buy us some time._

* * *

Having left Rex at the top of the Well, Ahsoka piloted the speeder down into the huge hole in the ground. The speeder couldn’t comfortably fit three people, and she didn’t want to risk losing one of her passengers when the consequences for falling meant a plunge down into a pit of rock and lava.

As she went deeper, she saw a lone figure making their way slowly up the rock wall; free-climbing. It was Master Kenobi. She abruptly changed her direction and pulled up beside him, floating in the air next to the cliff. She looked at him, raised a brow, and looked at the ground far below. He’d climbed a long way in a fairly short amount of time.

“Hmm, nice job,” she quipped.

Obi-Wan took his eyes off the rocks and turned to her, still clinging to the hole. “What took you so long?” he asked.

She shrugged. She pushed the speeder forward a bit, allowing the older Jedi to hop onto the squared rear of the vehicle.

“Here,” she said, holding up the power conduit, which Obi-Wan took. “I did as you said. The shuttle’s going nowhere without that.”

“Good,” he nodded. “That gives us some time to rescue Anakin.”

“And how do you suppose we do that?” Ahsoka asked, piloting the speeder back towards the top of the hole. Looking up, she could see Rex peering over the edge, watching their ascent. “Apparently, the only thing that snapped me out of _my_ mind control incident was death, so –”

“Rex told you about that?” Obi-Wan asked, and she could hear his eyebrow raise.

“Yeah,” she said. “He did.”

“Hmm.”

“You wouldn’t have?” Ahsoka asked, glancing back at him. Didn’t she have a right to know what had happened? What she’d done?

“No. Not necessarily,” Obi-Wan said. “It was a traumatic thing. If you don’t remember it, it can’t haunt you. I know you have a tendency to . . . er . . . take things rather personally. Something you’ve learned from Anakin, I daresay.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Ahsoka asked.

“Not . . . all the time,” Obi-Wan said diplomatically. “Although I will admit it’s not a trait most Jedi have.”

“Then I’m unique.”

“If you say so.”

Ahsoka knew what he was getting at. Jedi weren’t supposed to be emotional enough to take things personally. Well, whatever. Ahsoka was learning more and more that the Jedi Code didn’t always have to be followed to the letter. She could bend it here and there and still be a functioning, good Jedi. She liked having her emotions and expressing them.

She pulled the speeder out of the hole and, piloting it between the spires of rocks that surrounded it, landed the craft just beside the waiting Rex. She powered it off and disembarked as Obi-Wan did the same.

“General Kenobi,” Rex said, nodding at him. “Good to see you in one piece.”

“Yes,” Obi-Wan nodded. “Likewise, Captain. If only things weren’t as grim as they are.”

“Speaking of,” Ahsoka said. “What do we do now? If Anakin and the Son are working together, I doubt the three of us are gonna be able to stop them.”

“Agreed,” said Rex, folding his arms. He looked at Obi-Wan. “How did that happen, anyway?”

Obi-Wan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I wish I knew,” he said, shaking his head. “By the time I arrived here, Anakin had already turned. He told me that he was sorry; that I wouldn’t understand what he would have to do to end the Clone War. And that I would try and stop him. He pushed his own speeder into the lava and tried to confiscate mine. Then, the Son appeared and subdued me while Anakin left me behind. He told me he’d ‘seen’ that it was the Jedi who would stand in the way of peace. And he was gone. The Son gloated for a moment and then flew off as well.”

“There’s . . . a lot to unpack there,” Ahsoka said, grimacing. “Do you think the Son, like, made him envision bad things? He said he saw stuff, so maybe that corrupted him or something.”

“Perhaps,” nodded Obi-Wan, stroking his beard as he always did. “Whatever happened to make him turn, it was a much more willing process than what you went through –” Ahsoka shivered at that. “– and that’s what has me worried. I’m not sure what that means.”

“We can figure that out later,” Rex cut in. “We should probably focus on how we snap General Skywalker out of it.”

“We certainly don’t have that kind of power,” Obi-Wan said. “Now that the Daughter is gone, the only one who can help us is the Father.”

“So we should go to the monastery?” Ahsoka asked. That seemed like their best bet if they needed to find the Father.

“Precisely,” agreed Obi-Wan. “And we should go there soon. The Son’s ultimate goal – aside from escaping this place – is to kill the Father.”

“Then I guess there’s only one more problem,” Ahsoka said.

“Which is?” Rex asked.

Ahsoka jerked her thumb back toward their speeder. “How’re we all fitting on this thing?”

* * *

Anakin stalked down the shuttle’s exit ramp and joined the Son, who had been waiting for him outside.

“I can’t make contact with anybody,” he reported. “I don’t think anyone will hear my signal.” Ahsoka – _damn her_ – had slipped away with the primary power conduit. There was no way to power up the ship. No way to call anyone to retrieve them. To let them out.

The Son turned away, his arms folded as he looked out into the night. “My father still has a hold over this realm,” he said, “but I will be able to draw any ship here soon.”

“If I know my old Master,” Anakin said, “he, too, will try to stop us. Together with your father, they could be a formidable opponent.” If Ahsoka and Rex had both escaped on his speeder, they certainly would have gone to retrieve Obi-Wan. Together, they’d try to stop them. Anakin couldn’t let that happen. This was too important to fail. He could not let his visions come to pass.

At any cost.

“I can turn the tide in our favor,” said the Son, stepping forward. “Stay here.” With that, he transformed into his bat-like form and took off, flying away into the night sky.

Anakin watched him go. What was he supposed to do now? There was nothing to be done on the ship – Ahsoka had already fixed it. She’s also already sabotaged it, taking the necessary part with her. There was nothing Anakin could do to repair the damage she’d caused. He needed to do _something_. He’d never been good at just sitting on his hands while someone else did the heavy lifting.

“What did he show you?” demanded a voice.

Anakin whipped around to see the tall form of the Father walking toward him from the shadow of the shuttle. How long had he been there? What had he heard?

“I have seen what I will become,” Anakin said, shaking his head. He heard the screams. Felt the Dark Power. Saw the inky black form of his future self, wielding a crimson lightsaber and cutting down the innocent, “and I cannot let that happen.”

“And for this, you join him?” the Father asked as he approached Anakin, as though he couldn’t believe it. What did he know? If he knew he was destined to kill those he loved, to be trapped within the confines of a torturous suit that was the only thing keeping him alive, what would _he_ do? “Your destiny can change just as quickly as the love in one’s heart can fade. _Nothing_ is set in stone.”

“But I will cause so much pain,” Anakin protested. He couldn’t stand the thought of it.

“If there is to be balance, what you have seen must be forgotten,” said the Father.

As if. Anakin would never, _ever_ be able to forget the things he’d seen. The things he’d seen himself do.

But then, before Anakin could do anything to stop him, the Father raised one hand and placed two fingers onto Anakin’s forehead.

And then . . .

Nothing.

* * *

Anakin opened his eyes and saw the calm night sky. Beneath him, he felt a smooth, stone surface.

What? Where was he? What happened?

Groggily, he pushed himself up onto his elbows, looking around. Beside him, sat in a meditative pose, was the Father. His eyes were closed and his face was serene.

“Where am I?” Anakin asked, shaking his head to clear it. His mind was . . . strangely foggy . . .

“I have brought you back to my monastery,” said the Father, calmly. Looking around, Anakin saw that he was right. He sat on the ground in the arena where he had, only a day ago, stopped the Son and Daughter from harming Obi-Wan and Ahsoka.

“What happened?” Anakin sighed, placing one gloved hand over his forehead.

“My son broke the laws of time and showed you what you should never have seen,” said the Father, his eyes finally opening.

Anakin racked his brains. _What I should never have seen? Laws of time?_ What was all that about? Anakin couldn’t recall anything happening. He just remembered going to the Well of the Dark Side to confront the Son and then . . . nothing.

“I don’t . . . remember,” Anakin said.

“I have erased that time,” the Father explained, drawing Anakin’s attention. “We shall never know.”

_Never know what?_

“Master!” called a voice.

Looking up, Anakin saw Ahsoka, Rex, and Obi-Wan riding in on one of the speeders from the shuttle. It was a tight fit. Rex had his arms wrapped tightly around Ahsoka’s waist while Obi-Wan grabbed onto Rex’s shoulders. Ahsoka kept her driving steady so as not to unseat anyone as she brought the speeder out of the air and set it down for a landing a few meters away.

“Are you alright?” Obi-Wan asked the moment he released Rex and stepped off the speeder.

“Yeah . . . I think so,” Anakin nodded, slowly getting to his feet. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were both looking at him warily. What was that about? He could find out later. “But we must stop the Son once and for all.” He’d had just about enough with the Sith. Apparently, he’d tried to mess with Anakin’s head. That wasn’t going to stand.

“We have little time,” said the Father, rising, “and you’ll get only one chance.” He stepped closer to Anakin, looking down at him. “You know what you must do.”

“How quaint,” snarled the oily voice Anakin could clearly remember. He looked up to see the Son himself alighting beside them, falling gracefully out of the sky. “My own personal send-off.” On his belt, Anakin spied the dagger that he’d used to kill the Daughter. His hands tightened into fists. _Had he taken it from her tomb?_ He knew the Father had buried it with her.

“I ask you one last time,” said the Father, scowling. “Do not leave, my son.”

“You have no power to keep me, old man,” smirked the Son, waving one hand dismissively. “You must understand by now, this planet is not my destiny!”

“What you will do will destroy all that is good.” He was pleading now. “I beg you, restrain yourself and stay!”

The Son paused. He glanced away, shaking his head. “I cannot.”

The Father looked down. “And then it shall be.” He stepped back. “I love you, my son.”

That had to be his cue. As Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, and Rex stepped back, Anakin ignited his lightsaber and held it at the ready. The Son didn’t move.

“Do you?” he asked, as if only half-interested.

Anakin charged forward, swinging his lightsaber at the imposing figure before him. But it was no good. The Son only had to raise his arms to block both of Anakin’s strikes before twisting under his guard and grabbing him by the throat, lifting him up into the air. His airway constricted, Anakin suddenly struggled to breathe as he felt his feet leave the ground. His blue eyes never left the dark, glowing red pits that were the Son’s.

Behind him, he heard the sounds of more lightsabers igniting and blasters being drawn. The others were going to try and help. But what good would it do?

The Son threw Anakin over his head and he flew several meters before hitting the ground with a painful “umph” and sliding across the smooth stone for several meters before coming to a stop. He looked up just in time to see the Son Force-pull the weapons from Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, and Rex’s hands before sending all three of them sprawling with a single push as well.

He laughed.

Suddenly, the Father reached out. The dagger flew from the Son’s belt and into his own hand. He held it out, looking at it with clear distaste. The Son rounded on him.

“What?” he asked, shaking his head and chuckling as he threw the lightsabers and blasters aside. “You’re going to kill me now?”

“I held hope that you could resist the Dark Side,” the Father said, turning the dagger in his hands. “But I see now there is no going back.” He held the point of the dagger to his own stomach, gripping the hilt determinately with both hands.

“Father . . .”

The old man drove the dagger into his own torso. He gasped, his eyes going wide and his body becoming rigid for a moment as the damage was done. His legs became weak.

“No!” the Son shouted, his voice suddenly pained. He rushed forward, holding the Father upright. Anakin scrambled to his feet rushing toward the scene. “What have you done?” The son reached down and pulled the dagger from the Father’s body, tossing it aside. “It did not have to be this way!”

“Yes, my child, it did,” gasped the Father, sinking to his knees and taking the Son with him. “You and I are tied together – and your strength runs through me. This way, I take – your power.”

Anakin was almost upon them now.

“Please,” the Son almost whispered, “don’t die.”

The Father grasped his shoulders. “I always knew – there was good in you.” And he drew his son in for a close embrace.

The last close embrace.

The Father’s eyes opened and he made eye-contact with Anakin as he drew near. Now was the time.

Removing his lightsaber from his belt, he ignited it. The Son heard him and started, but the Father held him tightly, preventing him from escaping. Pulling back, Anakin drove his weapon through the Son’s back, piercing both him and the Father in one stab. The Son gasped and tensed, then went limp as Anakin pulled his blade from his chest.

The Father held him as fell to his side, preventing him from hitting the floor. He looked up at the old man, surprise in his glowing eyes. “And so you have betrayed me, Father,” he said, sadly.

And then nothing.

The Father set the Son down upon the floor. Anakin deactivated his lightsaber and clipped it to his belt, looking down at the dying old man. “It is done,” he said, kneeling before him.

“And now . . . I die,” panted the Father, looking up at him as best he could, “my heart broken, but knowing – the role . . . you will play.”

“And what is that?” asked Anakin. He had to know. Had to hear it directly.

“You . . .” gasped the Father, his strength failing, “are the Chosen One. You have brought balance to this world . . . Stay on . . . this path, and you will do it again . . . for the galaxy. But beware – your . . . heart . . .” And with that, the Father keeled over, his eyes closing and his body finally going limp. Even as he watched, the man’s physical form vanished, leaving behind only an empty robe and a crown in its place.

Nothing left.

_The Chosen One. It’s . . . real!_

And then, as Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and Rex approached, the world went white.

* * *

“General Skywalker,” said a voice. It almost echoed around in Rex’s skull, “come in.”

Slowly, he opened his eyes. The cockpit of the _Eta-_ class shuttle slowly came into focus. His breathing was normal. All the lights were on. He could hear the steady thrum of the engines as they worked. But he was no longer in his seat.

Instead, he was slumped on the floor, his helmeted head resting against something . . . soft.

Instantly straightening, he realized that soft thing was one of Ahsoka’s legs. He looked up to see her running a hand down her face and slowly blinking her eyes, shaking her head to clear her own grogginess.

How had they gotten here?

_We were just on that planet! That . . . Mortis! How did we get on the ship?_

“We read you, Cody,” said General Skywalker. He was scratching his head and looking at the hologram of the clone commander emanating from the dashboard before him. “Can you hear me?”

“Yes, sir,” Cody reported, clasping his hands behind his back and straightening, “standing by. We were worried. You were off the scopes there for a moment.”

“A moment?” Skywalker asked. Then he chuckled softly. “We’ve been gone more than a moment, Cody.”

“Sir, I . . . don’t understand,” Cody said, looking confused. “You’ll need to explain.”

“You . . .” Skywalker glanced around at everyone in the cockpit, seeing that they were all as equally tired and confused as him, “wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” He gripped the pilot’s controls. “We’re coming in now.”

Rex looked back up at Ahsoka, who was biting her lip. She had one fist held close to her mouth, as though she were nervous.

She was looking down at _him_.

He cocked his head slightly, silently asking for an answer. What was wrong? Aside from the obvious, of course.

“We . . .” she whispered, her voice barely audible. She closed her eyes. Sighed. “You and I need to talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To Kill a Demon - Halo 3
> 
> There's just one more wrap-up chapter and then we're done with this arc!


	13. Between Love & Hate

**Hangar of Republic cruiser, somewhere in the Crelythium System**

The moment the exit ramp of the _Eta_ -class shuttle opened, Rex found himself being dragged across the main hangar bay by Ahsoka. She was worried. And that was stressing him out.

“Ahsoka!” called General Skywalker from behind them. “Where are you going?”

“I, uh,” Ahsoka stumbled, not stopping, “I need to talk to Rex real quick! It’s important, I promise!”

_Important, huh?_

“Littl’un,” Rex muttered, keeping his voice low, “what’s going on?” He was on-edge enough from the strange, impossible experience they’d all just shared. Spending days on a strange Force-infested planet only to get back in a flash and find out that no time at all had passed.

“Not here,” she hissed, not even looking back at him. Instead, she brought her commlink to her mouth. “Coric.”

There was silence for a moment, and then the sergeant answered. “Yes, ma’am?”

“I need you to meet me in maintenance closet two-B just off the main hangar,” Ahsoka said. “It’s about that, uh . . . that thing that happened last year. Over Saleucami.”

“What?” Coric said. Silence. “Oh . . . _Oh_! Give me a minute, I’ll be right there.”

_Saleucami?_

What did that have to do with anything? What ‘thing’ was she talking about?

Ahsoka cut the link and dragged Rex into the hallway leading out of the hangar. She glanced around for a moment before finding the corrected maintenance closet. Then, she opened the door, shoved Rex inside, and closed it behind her. Rex stumbled a few paces before regaining his balance and standing beside a rack of spare parts on one side of the room. Ahsoka stood on the other side, her arms folded over her chest. She was determinately not looking at him. Had he done something wrong? They’d seemed fine only a few minutes ago. Or . . . whenever they’d been on Mortis. Time was working strangely.

“Littl’un,” Rex ventured. “You gonna tell me what’s going on here?”

Ahsoka didn’t say anything.

“Ahsoka!” he barked. Perhaps a tad more harshly than he’d intended. She started and looked over at him. _Finally._ “What’s with all the secrecy? What’s going on?”

“I . . .” Ahsoka blanched. “I can’t talk about it. It’s better if you get the whole story. Just wait until Coric gets here and we’ll explain everything.”

“I . . . okay,” Rex said slowly. He was still confused. What did Coric know that Rex didn’t? What ‘whole story’ was there for him to learn? Ahsoka didn’t say anything more until the closet door opened. Coric wasn’t the only clone present. With him was Denal, Fives, and Echo; all helmetless and looking interested.

Apparently, Rex wasn’t the only one confused now.

“Coric,” Ahsoka said, “what are they doing here?”

“They, er . . . they know,” Coric said. “Actually, I think we all know more than you think we do.”

“I told you not to tell anyone!” Ahsoka practically shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at him.

Coric held up both his hands in surrender. “Look, I didn’t mean to! Denal already knew and it just kind of – holy shit, Captain, what happened to you?”

Rex looked down. It was only then that he realized his chestplate still had the immense lightsaber scar Ahsoka had given him. The long, black line cut him from ribcage to hip, making him appear as though he’d suffered a fatal injury but was still somehow standing. Actually, that’s pretty much exactly what had happened.

Coric drew near as the others filed into the room, but Rex held up his hands and warded him off. “I’m fine, Coric,” he said. “It’s been a rough couple of days, but –”

“Couple of days?” asked Echo. “Sir, you only dropped off our scanners for a moment. What are you talking about?”

And then everyone started talking at once. Ahsoka was berating Coric for telling _something_ to the others. Coric was demanding Rex give him details about his clear injury and how he was still standing; if he needed immediate medical attention. Fives and Echo were talking over one another; ARC troopers or not, they were still brothers competing to be heard over the other. Both were asking questions about timing and what had really happened. Denal was the only quiet one. He stood beside the door, leaning against the wall, his arms folded over his chest as he watched the chaos unfolding before him.

“ _Alright_!” Rex bellowed in his most commanding tone. Silence instantly fell. “That’s enough! Will somebody please tell me what the hell is going on here?”

Nobody spoke for several moments. Slowly, everyone’s eyes turned toward Ahsoka. She seemed to realize this and glanced around, biting her lip nervously. Then, she sighed and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was staring straight at Rex.

“I, uh . . .” she said, casting around for the right words to say, “I think we have a . . . connection.”

Rex raised an eyebrow. “A connection? Er, okay . . . so what? We’re friends.”

“No, Rex,” Ahsoka said, shaking her head. “I mean a connection in the Force. A Force Bond.”

“What?” Rex asked. He felt his stomach drop out. A tingle went up his spine. “You mean like . . . like you and Skywalker have?”

“Uh, yes,” Ahsoka nodded.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Rex lied. “How could that even happen? I’m not even connected to the Force! I’m no Jedi.” No one knew his vision on Mortis. And no one ever would. Things would be too dangerous for both him and whoever knew about his . . . situation. He refused to even acknowledge it.

“That’s the thing, Captain,” Coric said. He glanced around at the others. “We think you _are_ Force-sensitive.”

That brought Rex up short.

What did they know? How did they know it? What did they think?

Rex was glad his helmet was on. He didn’t want _any of them_ to see his open mouth and wide eyes. “What . . . makes you say that?” Rex asked slowly.

Denal took that one. “Coric told us about what happened on Geonosis,” he said. “How you seemed to know where Commander Tano was buried before Skywalker and Unduli managed to find her beneath the droid factory.”

Ahsoka glanced around. “What?”

_Shit._ Rex waved his hand. “That was just luck,” he said. “Coincidence.”

Coric folded his arms. “The odds of that are astronomical.”

Ahsoka thought for a moment. “When we were on the Coronet,” she said, casting back for the memory. “I called you asking for backup because Mixer was injured. You said you were already on your way with Cody and Artoo. How did you know that I needed help?”

“I . . . er . . .” Rex said, his mind working furiously to come up with a plausible excuse. The truth was that – after he and Cody had run into an on-edge R2-D2 – he’d gotten one of those ‘feelings’ of his. And he knew that he needed to find Ahsoka as soon as possible. “Cody and I bumped into the droid. He . . . seemed to be spooked over something, so I just figured we’d better report to you.”

“He’s lying,” Echo said almost without pause, his arms folded and his eyes locked on Rex’s.

“Yeah, buddy,” Fives said, a small smile playing on his lips. “We know.”

Rex let out a growl of frustration. “This is crazy,” he said, shaking his head. “You’re all crazy.”

“Says the man with the lightsaber slash through his stomach who’s still walking around,” said Denal. “Either of you gonna tell us how that’s possible?”

Rex didn’t say anything. Just stood there with his arms folded and looking mutinous under his helmet.

Eventually, Ahsoka broke the silence. “We, uh . . . just spent the last couple of days on a planet controlled by the Force,” she said. “A lot of . . . a lot of crazy stuff happened. We’re not really sure what all of it means.”

She could certainly say that again. All this Force nonsense was really getting to Rex. He wanted no part of it. He was a clone. He just wanted to fight, do his job, and be done with it. He didn’t need the Force to help him with any of that. Nor did he want it to.

“So . . . the Force kept him alive?” Coric asked.

“Kind of . . .” Ahsoka muttered, looking away. Evidently, she didn’t want to explain about the Son controlling her, making her kill him, and then bringing him back. He couldn’t exactly blame her for that.

“This gets stranger and stranger every minute,” Fives said, shaking his head. “But I think we’re getting away from the topic at hand.”

“Right,” Ahsoka nodded. “Rex being Force-sensitive.”

“I’m not!” Rex cut in, throwing his arms into the air. Why couldn’t they just believe him? Why couldn’t they just drop it?

“How is that possible, by the way?” Ahsoka asked, ignoring him. “Clones aren’t Force-sensitive at all. Why’s he different?”

Coric, Denal, Fives, and Echo all glanced around. None of them spoke for a moment.

“Well . . . there actually _have_ been other Force-sensitive clones,” Fives said. He looked at Denal. “You said twelve?”

“Rex makes thirteen,” the other clone confirmed, nodding.

“Right,” Fives said. “But the others were all, er, terminated.”

“ _What_?”

“Having a connection to the Force is an anomaly for clones,” explained Coric. “And the Kaminoans don’t like anomalies. If I had to guess, I’d say that’s why Rex doesn’t want to admit what’s happening. Because he’s afraid he’ll be terminated.”

“I’m still right here,” Rex reminded them all.

“Rex, I . . . I’m sorry,” Ahsoka said, turning to him. “I didn’t know . . .”

Rex had been preparing another excuse, but as he looked into Ahsoka’s eyes, he found that he just couldn’t. They all seemed to know the truth anyway, so he might as well come clean. He couldn’t have thought of a safer group of people to do it to.

He let out a long sigh. “Okay . . .” he said. “I . . . I _do_ sometimes feel things I can’t explain. I . . . can sometimes tell when bad things are about to happen and feel other people’s emotions.”

“Ha!” Fives said, pointing at him. “I knew it!”

“You only knew it because Coric came up with the theory,” Echo said, rolling his eyes.

_Wait a minute . . ._

“And how did Coric come up with that theory?” Rex asked, leveling the sergeant with his gaze.

“Well . . .” Coric said, scratching at the back of his neck and looking down. “There was the Geonosis incident, some smaller stuff, and, er . . .” He glanced over at Ahsoka. She nodded. _What the hell?_ “There was something about Saleucami that you should know. That happened aboard the _Resolute_ after you’d been injured.”

“What was it?”

“You heard about my collapse, right?” Ahsoka asked, holding her arms close to her chest.

“Yes.”

“I . . . I think it happened _because_ you got hit,” she said. “I felt pain in my chest. Heard you in my head. I felt the ground on Saleucami and heard clones being ordered to protect you.” Rex thought back to Saleucami. Past all the confusion that had arisen from his conversations and night spent with Cut and his family.

He remembered his dream.

The voices. He’d heard and felt the interior of a _Venator_. Felt someone reach out to him.

At the time, he’d brushed it off as a strange dream and nothing more. Now, though . . .

And they were right about Geonosis. He’d managed to find Ahsoka just on a ‘hunch’ of his. And he’d known something was wrong before the whole brain worm fiasco she’d been involved with. How many times had his ‘Sixth Sense’ alerted him to something going on with Ahsoka? Were they really . . . connected?

Was that a good thing?

“Say . . .” he started. “Say that you’re right. What _is_ this, er, ‘Force Bond’ thing?”

“It’s a connection between two people through the Force,” Ahsoka explained, her posture relaxing somewhat. “Like Anakin and I have. It allows us to sense each other’s emotions, locations, mental state . . . sometimes individual thoughts. It’s something very . . . intimate, I guess. It happens between people who are extremely close.”

Fives snickered and Echo elbowed him.

Rex cringed. Clones and Jedi weren’t supposed to be ‘intimate.’ Not in any sense of the word. Professionalism and comradery were where that relationship was supposed to end. Friends, perhaps. This seemed to go beyond that.

And it was dangerous.

If this ever got out, Rex couldn’t even fathom what the consequences might be. If the Kaminoans knew, Rex would be terminated. He doubted even the Jedi would be able to stop that; clones being Force-sensitive was – in the Longnecks’ eyes – irredeemable. And the GAR would probably agree. The Jedi wouldn’t be too pleased about Ahsoka having a bond with a clone. Especially if she kept it a secret. How much trouble would she get in?

Rex slowly reached up and removed his helmet. Everyone was watching him. He knew what he had to do.

He took a deep breath. Met Ahsoka’s eyes. Told himself he was doing the hard thing but also the right thing. “Okay,” he said. “How do we break off the bond?”

The shock and hurt that radiated off of Ahsoka nearly took his breath away.

* * *

A pin could’ve dropped and Ahsoka would’ve heard it. Or would she have? Her montrals were suddenly ringing.

_What?_

“B-Break the Force Bond?” Ahsoka asked.

Rex looked tired. “Yes,” he said. “This isn’t something that should be going on. All of us could get in serious trouble if this gets out. Court-martial, reconditioning, demotion, termination, probation; who knows what else. I’m sure this is against regulations. Echo?”

Ahsoka managed to pull herself together enough to look over at the ARC trooper, who suddenly seemed very uncomfortable.

“Ah . . .” he said, rubbing the back of his neck and shrugging. “Actually, I . . . don’t know. I mean, probably . . . Sir, there’s just no precedent for any of this. This whole situation’s an anomaly.”

“A Force-sensitive clone, a compatible Jedi, both parties being aware of the bond,” Coric said, ticking the parameters off on his fingers. “Yeah, I’d say this was a perfect storm of strangeness.”

“Are you . . .” Ahsoka cleared her throat. She looked at Rex. “Are you _sure_ you want to break it off?” _Please say no, please say no._ Why did she feel that way? Rex was handling this much more competently than her. Like he said, it was a dangerous thing to keep a secret. A problem. A risk. She should’ve been fine with addressing the problem and moving on as though nothing had happened.

But she wasn’t.

Rex didn’t say anything for a moment. He was looking at her, but his eyes weren’t quite focused. She tried to probe him in the Force, but she felt no . . . emotion. Only determination. Resolve. He was hiding from her; whether he knew it or not.

Somehow that was even more disheartening than she thought it would be.

He nodded. “Yes,” he said. “It’s the right thing to do. It’ll be safer that way.”

Ahsoka knew he didn’t mean it that way, but she felt as though this were a rejection. A rejection of her. A rejection of their friendship. A rejection that meant he didn’t trust her.

“O-Okay,” she said, glancing away. “I . . . I don’t really know anything about this kind of thing. I . . . I’ll have to research it in the Archives. Maybe I can find something about Force Bonds and . . . and how to break them. _If_ you can break them.”

“Right,” Rex nodded, slipping into his soldier professionalism. “That’s . . . that’s good.” He looked around. “If, er . . . If that’s all then, I . . . I should get going. I’m sure there’s something I have to attend to.”

“Right,” Ahsoka said, barely even paying attention. She only really understood what he had said when he had already slipped out of the room. He was going. Gone.

The room was silent. Slowly, Coric, Denal, Fives, and Echo filed out of the room. As he left, Echo placed a comforting hand on Ahsoka’s shoulder and squeezed gently. And then he was gone, too. Ahsoka was alone. Abandoned.

Slowly, she took a step back and leaned her back against the cold, metallic wall of the closet. She slid down into a sitting position on the floor, buried her face in her hands, and started to cry. She didn’t even know or understand why. She just felt _awful_.

* * *

“Well, what the hell do we do now?” Fives asked, throwing his arms out as the four clones left Commander Tano in the maintenance closet. That whole scene was a mess.

“We stay quiet,” Coric said, as though that were obvious. “We still can’t tell anyone what’s going on. Rex is right about the consequences.”

“Is he right about this?” Denal asked, jerking a thumb toward the storage closet. “Kid’s pretty torn up over it.”

“That’s . . . between them,” Coric said, holding up his hands. “I don’t think it’s my place to get involved and I don’t think really any of yours, either.”

Echo placed his hands on his hips. “I don’t know . . .” he said, glancing back. “I think this could put a rift between them. That’s not a good thing.”

Coric sighed, shaking his head. “Alright,” he said. “Fives – you check on the commander. Denal – you go after the captain.”

“Yes, sir,” Denal nodded. He instantly turned and jogged down the corridor after Rex.

Coric and Echo turned to go – though not before Echo gave him a reassuring pat on the back. Fives turned back toward the door of the maintenance closet, pausing. He had a feeling that things were about to get a little messy. He opened the door and stepped inside. Ahsoka was leaning against one of the storage racks, her face covered by her hands as her body shook gently. Fives didn’t have to be a Jedi to know that she was terribly upset.

“Uh, hey,” he said softly, stepping closer and not quite sure how he should approach this. Yeah, they were friends or comrades, but somehow this felt as though he was getting a little too involved in her personal life. For a clone, anyway. But maybe that’s just what he was programmed to think. “You okay?”

He cringed. _Stupid question._

Ahsoka slowly uncovered her face and looked up at him to revel eyes red and wet with tears and a face stained with watery tracks. Her lip trembled as she sucked in air.

“F-Fives?” she asked, looking confused. “What are you doing here?”

“I, er,” Fives said, closing the distance between them as the door slid shut behind him, “I came to make sure you were alright. You . . . seemed to take that conversation pretty hard.”

Ahsoka hiccupped, bracing her back against the shelves as she shook again and folded her arms tightly to her chest. She didn’t bother to wipe at her eyes as more tears formed and fell, spilling onto her clothes and the floor.

“Y-Yeah,” she almost whispered. “Yeah I . . . guess I am . . .”

“What’s, er, wrong exactly?” Fives asked, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. “I mean, isn’t breaking this Force Bond thing the right call? You both could get in serious trouble; Rex was right about that.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Ahsoka said, shaking her head. “He . . . he is. I just – I . . . it means a lot; a Force Bond. It’s a constant reminder that you have a connection with someone important. Someone you trust completely and who has you back. And – And Rex _is_ that to me. Even if it’s against the rules, I don’t want to lose that.”

“Very Skywalker of you.”

“I _am_ his student.”

“That you are,” Fives nodded, trying to wrap his head around all this.

“I guess I . . . shouldn’t blame him for wanting to cut off the connection,” Ahsoka said. But even as the words left her lips, a fresh wave of sobs racked her body.

Not thinking, Fives stepped forward and enveloped the little Togruta in a tight hug. His ARC trooper armor probably wasn’t the most comfortable thing to be pressed against, but it was the thought that counted, right? He let her cry into his armor for a minute or two. Neither of them spoke. He tried to puzzle out some kind of solution to this mess in his head, but nothing brilliant came to mind. Maybe he should leave that to Echo. Still, he should at least _try_.

“Why . . .” Fives said tentatively, drawing back a bit and placing his hands on her shoulders. “Why don’t you think you should blame him?”

“It – It _is_ dangerous,” Ahsoka admitted, wiping at her eyes. “If we’re caught, I . . . I don’t even want to think about what could happen to him. But . . . But it –”

“It still hurts,” Fives tried. He nodded. “I guess I don’t know much about how the Force works, but I bet this is a pretty personal thing for you two.”

Ahsoka nodded. “And him wanting to shut it off, it . . . it feels like a _rejection_ ,” she choked out. “Of – of me. Of our friendship.”

“Yeah,” Fives said, slowly. “That sounds . . . pretty rough . . .” He really wasn’t sure what else he could say. It’s not like he could change Rex’s mind for her. No. His brother was too stubborn for that. Probably. He _was_ known to have a massive soft spot where Ahsoka was concerned for whatever reason, but that didn’t seem to apply this time.

“Yeah,” Ahsoka agreed, downtrodden. She rested her head against Fives’ chestplate. “I just . . . I don’t want to lose him. Not in any way. And I feel like this is exactly that. And what if there’s no way to break the Bond? Then what?”

“Well, I’m sure that –”

“What if Rex decides that he can’t be around me anymore because he doesn’t want to acknowledge that we have a connection?” Ahsoka cut him off. She was in full panic mode now; he could tell. “Or – or what if I find out that it can be cut off, but I just can’t do it? What then? What if –”

“Ahsoka!” Fives said, grasping her shoulders again and forcing her to look up at him. _Shit. So . . . what do I say now?_ He just went with his gut. “Look, I . . . I can’t pretend to know what’s going on inside Rex’s head. Or yours. I’m no Jedi. But . . . I know the Captain cares about you. And you care about him. This, er . . . this is complicated . . . But I’m sure you two can pull through, right?”

Ahsoka let out a deep breath and looked down dejectedly. “I don’t know, Fives,” she sighed. “This is . . . a lot . . .”

“Maybe,” Fives said. “But there’s always a chance. Don’t write things off so easily.”

“You’re saying he could . . . come around?” Ahsoka asked. And it was truly heartbreaking to see the hope in her eyes when she looked at him again.

“I . . . know better than to answer for him,” Fives admitted, cringing. “I just mean that maybe this isn’t the end of the galaxy. You two could, I dunno, move past this?”

“I don’t know, either,” Ahsoka said. And she sounded miserable. Once more, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Fives’ torso, pulling him close. “Just . . . I don’t wanna think about it all right now. Can you just . . . stay here a while? I think I need some company.”

“I’m an _ARC trooper_.” Fives was unable to stop himself from grinning. “I can do whatever I want.” Ahsoka snorted but buried her face in his armor all the same. “And I’ll always look out for my little sister.”

* * *

“Captain,” Denal called, trying his best to flag Rex down. “Captain!”

“ _What_?” Rex demanded, rounding on him.

“What the hell was that?” Denal demanded, coming up short about a meter from Rex and throwing his arms up into the air.

“I don’t want to discuss it,” Rex said, turning away from him.

“Oh, yes you do!” Denal said, grabbing his shoulder and turning the Captain back towards him. “That was pretty cold, don’t you think?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Are you blind?” Denal demanded, glad the corridor was empty at the moment. “Don’t you think you’re jumping to conclusions here?”

“In what way?”

Denal let out a grunt of frustration and tore off his helmet. “In asking Commander Tano to cut off your Force Bond,” he said. “She’s pretty clearly torn up over it.”

Rex sighed, reaching up and removing his own helmet. “I’m not making this decision lightly,” he said, his tone flat.

“Seems to me like you are.”

“What other choice do I have?” Rex demanded, shaking his head. “This can’t go on. I can’t be involved in something this – this against regulations. My existence is already in danger.”

“Isn’t that a little selfish?” Denal asked.

“Don’t give me that _osik_ ,” Rex hissed. “If anyone found out what was going on, she and I would _both_ get in trouble. What if she was removed from command? Then she and I are _both_ gone. And who knows who would be promoted to take over? I don’t want to put the lives of my men in anyone’s hands other than my own.”

Denal frowned. He couldn’t say that Rex was completely wrong, but he still didn’t like the idea of him just outright denying the Commander without even one night’s thought. “If you’re careful, things would be alright,” he said slowly. “If you made sure that no one knew and just kept it between yourselves and us.”

“I don’t like secrets,” Rex said. “They’re dangerous.”

“But you’re good at keeping them.”

“What makes you say that?”

Denal snorted. “Rex, you’d be safe to assume that I know everything,” he said. “I’m a slicer remember? I know your Saleucami report is complete _osik_ because I read it, but I’m not gonna press you on it. I also happen to know about Commander Fox and a certain Pantoran senator. Plus, there’s this.” He held up his right hand and tapped on it, reminding the Captain that it was not organic. “It wouldn’t be the first time that you withheld information that could get a clone terminated.”

“That’s completely different,” Rex said, waving him off.

“I don’t think so.”

“It’s not what you think that matters,” Rex growled. “This is between me and her, isn’t it? Why are you getting involved?”

“Because this is dangerous, Rex,” Denal said. “And I don’t want to see you and the Commander at odds with one another.”

“Who says that’ll happen?”

“Me, you _di’kut_ ,” Denal told him, rolling his eyes. “And Fives. And Coric. And Echo. Commander Tano is pretty broken up over this; that’s obvious. But _you_ are also not taking this well. You’re obviously falling back on your soldier training, and I’d bet anything you want to just pretend this whole thing never happened.”

“Would that be so bad?” Rex asked sardonically.

“Yes,” Denal stated emphatically. “You can’t ignore this, Rex. That’ll only make things worse.”

“How?” Rex asked. “How would it be better if this just didn’t happen?”

“You’ll only hurt the Commander worse than you already have.”

Rex shook his head. “She’s tough. She’s smart. She’ll understand why this has to happen.”

“Sure she will,” Denal argued, rolling his eyes. “But there’s a difference between understanding why something should happen and actually being okay with it. She’ll probably go along with what you want, but that doesn’t mean she’s gonna be happy about it.”

“This is war,” Rex said. “And a . . . complicated situation. We all have to make decisions and do things we aren’t happy about.”

“That’s an excuse and you know it.”

“Listen,” Rex said, gritting his teeth. “I know this is less than ideal –”

“Understatement of the millennia.”

“– but _I’m_ making the call. This is just how it has to be. I don’t like it, she doesn’t like it, nobody likes it. But this is just how it is. There’s no other way, here.”

“Yes there is,” Denal maintained. “You just don’t want to risk it.”

“No,” Rex said. “I don’t.”

Denal let out a long sigh. “Well, I guess there’s no changing your mind,” he said. _At least, not right now._ “I hope you don’t come to regret this.”

Rex snorted, shaking his head. “Stang. Me too.”

“This isn’t going to be the end of it, Rex,” Denal warned, clipping his helmet to his belt and folding his arms.

“I know,” Rex nodded, frowning. “But this is just how it’s going to be for now. Things’ll be better once this whole fiasco is taken care of and the Force Bond is gone.”

“You don’t even know if that’s possible,” Denal pointed out.

“Ahsoka can find a way,” Rex maintained. “I have faith in her.”

“I’ll do my best not to point out how messed up that is,” Denal deadpanned.

“I appreciate that,” said Rex, rolling his eyes. “Listen, I need some time to myself. To think. And to get this chestplate replaced.”

Denal understood that he was being dismissed. “Whatever you say, Captain,” he said, shaking his head. “Good luck.”

“Thanks, Denal,” he said, placing his helmet back onto his head before he turned and started walking away down the corridor.

_Well, I gave it a shot._

He just hoped that things didn’t get any worse than this. Rex and Ahsoka at odds with one another and very much not in-sync would certainly make missions a lot more complicated than they needed to be.

All the same, he had a bad feeling that things were going to get worse before they got better.

If they ever got better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Between Love & Hate - The Strokes
> 
> You should have been more careful what you wished for. I warned you all the way back in Chapter 6 that it would all end in tears.
> 
> P.S.- I'm changing my upload schedule so I have more time to write and stay ahead. I'm now uploading on Monday and Friday.


	14. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now

**Jedi Temple Archives, Coruscant**

Ahsoka hunched over one of the consoles in the Archives Room of the Jedi Temple, only half-focused as she sifted through the information she’d cataloged. She was supposed to be looking for anything about Force Bonds. More specifically, how to break them. And she had to do it without asking anyone for help. Otherwise, she could be in trouble and Rex could be terminated.

In the week since returning from Mortis and telling Rex that she suspected that he was Force-sensitive and had a Bond with her, she hadn’t done much else. There were no missions she could distract herself with, no studies she was behind on at the moment; nothing but the reality that Rex didn’t want a connection with her. And that reality stung more than she could say for reasons she couldn’t quite understand.

Ahsoka’s mostly unfocused eyes scanned the text on the holoscreen before her. Her head was propped up only by one arm that rested on the table as she flicked through slide after slide. She really should be paying attention. Her inability to do so was probably exactly why this was taking so long. Well, that and the fact that nothing like this had ever really happened before. _Why would you want to break a Force Bond?_ Suppose someone you had a bond with fell to the Dark Side. You wouldn’t want to have one with them anymore, would you? She tried searching for that, but it didn’t really get her anywhere. She supposed that information was a little too high-tier for her. She was just a Padawan. The less she really knew about the Dark Side, the better. Apparently.

_Why would you want to break a Force Bond?_

Was she asking herself for research purposes or because she wanted an answer to that question herself? She certainly _didn’t_ want to break the Bond she had with Rex. Maybe that was why this was taking so long. Because she was stalling. Pretending to work while doing nothing at all. Just wallowing in sadness.

She should respect Rex more than that. It was his choice, too.

And he didn’t want it.

As if she needed another reminder of _that_.

She’d barely seen him since he walked out of that maintenance closet last week. She’d kept mostly to her quarters and the Archives. As far as she knew, he’d kept to the barracks. He didn’t seek her out. They didn’t hang out like they used to. Fives and Denal had tried to invite her to 79’s, but she’d turned him down. She didn’t feel like going out at all.

This whole fiasco had put a wall between them. Between their friendship.

Maybe it was permanent.

“Ahsoka.”

She jumped, immediately clearing her holoscreen, and whipped around. Barriss Offee was standing just behind her, looking startled at her reaction. Ahsoka must really have been in deep thought not to hear or sense her friend coming up behind her.

“Oh, Barriss,” she said, relaxing a tad. “Sorry, I was just . . . I was thinking.”

“I see that,” Barriss said, smiling down at her. “Are you alright? You’ve seemed rather . . . distant lately.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Ahsoka said, pushing away from the table, powering off the console, and standing. She might as well quit now – she wasn’t getting anywhere. “I’m just stressed is all.”

“Because of the war?”

“You could say that,” Ahsoka replied, shrugging. Less the war and more the warriors. One in particular, actually.

“I know how you feel,” Barriss said, looking rather somber. _Huh. I doubt_ that _._ “Things do seem rather grim at the moment, don’t they?”

“Yeah,” Ahsoka said, almost on autopilot. “I – wait, what do you mean?”

“The news about Master Piell,” Barriss said. “Didn’t you hear? He’s been captured by the separatists and taken to the Citadel on Lola Sayu. They want the hyperspace information he managed to gather.”

“Oh,” Ahsoka said. She really was being stupid, wasn’t she? Here she was having a crisis of the heart while other people were in real trouble out in the galaxy. “No, I hadn’t heard about that.”

“That’s strange,” Barriss said. “I thought Master Skywalker and Master Kenobi were gathering a team to go and rescue him. They’re having a briefing right now.”

_Oh, no . . ._

Had she really been so self-absorbed that she had forgotten about a briefing? Or had she just not realized Anakin had told her there would be a briefing in the first place?

“Shit,” she muttered. “I need to go. Uh, thanks Barriss!” She took off running out of the Archives.

“Of course, Ahsoka,” Barriss called after her, waving. “Good luck!”

She bolted through the halls of the Jedi Temple, making for the Command Center, where she knew most briefings were held. Anakin was going to _kill_ her.

When she arrived in the correct hall, she saw Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Master Plo walking side-by-side down the hallway away from the Command Center. _Oh, no. I’ve missed it!_ She needed to do damage control. Act like something had simply come up.

“Master!” she called, jogging to catch up with the group. “I’m sorry I’m late.” She slipped into step beside Anakin. “I just heard about the briefing. We’re going to rescue Master Piell, right?”

Anakin stopped walking and looked down at her, his arms folded. Shit.

Obi-Wan and Master Plo stopped a few paces ahead and looked back. “You two have . . . much to discuss,” Master Plo said. Obi-Wan gave Anakin a raised eyebrow and a knowing look.

And then they walked on, leaving Ahsoka and Anakin behind.

“Ahsoka,” Anakin said, placing a hand on her shoulder, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier, but you won’t be coming along on this one.”

“Not coming?” Ahsoka repeated, her fear turning into disbelief. She had _forgotten_ this briefing, she’d never been told about it in the first place. “But you’re breaking into the Citadel. No one’s ever done it.” She knew the facility by reputation.

“The Citadel wasn’t designed to hold common criminals,” Anakin said, turning away from her. “It was created to hold Jedi if any of us lost our way. It’s not a place for Padawans.”

Oh, no. He wasn’t gonna pull the Padawan card on her. She _needed_ a mission. Something to distract her from her constant wallowing.

“You’re just being protective again,” Ahsoka accused. “That’s not fair! How am I supposed to learn if you won’t let me share the risk?”

“This isn’t a mission for learning,” Anakin said, rounding on her. “You either do or die.” And he turned and started walking away. “And that’s not a risk I’m willing to share.”

This _wasn’t_ over.

* * *

Plo Koon stood in the hangar of the Jedi Temple, leaning over the side of his Delta interceptor and adjusting some of the internal wirings. If Skywalker’s plan went well – or even if it didn’t – he and the 104th needed to be on-hand and ready to intervene to help the extraction team. That meant his interceptor needed to be in top shape.

Not that it ever wasn’t . . .

“Master Plo?” said a soft voice.

He looked up to see Ahsoka standing on the other side of his ship. Her arms were folded. But not in an indignant, defiant way. Her body language suggested uncertainty. Sadness. “May I speak with you?”

Of course she could.

“What is it, little ‘Soka?” he asked, pausing in his work.

“It’s about the mission,” Ahsoka said, looking down. Plo was certainly not surprised about that. She was – naturally – feeling left out. But there was something . . . _deeper_ that was on her mind. Something he couldn’t fathom. “Master Skywalker doesn’t want me to go.”

“That . . .” Plo said, attempting to keep his words and his tone neutral, “is his choice.” He was her Master. She was his Padawan.

As he knew she would, Ahsoka shook her head and sat on the wing of his interceptor. “I know,” she sighed, “but I think he’s being overly protective. He’s picking and choosing which assignments I can be a part of.”

“He _is_ your Master,” Plo pointed out.

Ahsoka looked away. “Yes . . .” she admitted, “but it’s not for him to decide when and how I should put my life in danger. That should be my choice.”

She was putting him on the spot now.

Of course it should be her choice when she risked her life, but there was also a way the Jedi went about such things. There had to be a structured learning environment. Padawans needed to listen to their Masters, even if they didn’t like what they were told. Still . . .

“If you are asking me to give you express permission to join the trip to Lola Sayu,” Plo said, slowly, “I am afraid you shall be disappointed.”

Ahsoka seemed to deflate even more than she already had. “I understand, Master,” she said. “I –”

“However,” Plo cut her off, holding up one long-clawed hand. “I will advise you to follow your heart. No one knows your abilities and limits as well as you do. In the end, only you can make decisions on what you can and cannot do. Being afraid rarely allows one to enjoy and take part in the finer things in life.”

* * *

Rex stood behind Fives and Echo as they watched R2-D2 lead a squad of three reprogrammed battle droids toward a captured Separatist shuttle. They were the astromech’s ‘troops’ of a sort. Around Lola Sayu were a series of scanners meant to detect life-forms present on incoming ships. Just another thing that made this mission more difficult than it needed to be. Supposedly, Skywalker had a plan for getting around that snag, but Rex had no idea what it was just yet.

“We’re trusting _those_ droids to get us into the Citadel?” Fives asked, sounding just as skeptical as Rex.

“It’s the only way,” said Cody, his helmet already on. “We’re flying right into the heart of Separatist territory. Droids won’t be detected.”

“Can’t really argue with that logic,” said Charger, who knelt on the ground next to them, adjusting the sights on his DC-15 carbine. He was the only other man from the 501st going with them. Cody, on the other hand, was bringing Longshot, Deadeye, Carver, and Trapper. It was quite the team. Whatever plan Skywalker had come up with, he was confident that they had a good chance of pulling it off. Two Jedi, himself, Cody, a pair of ARC troopers, and some of the best troopers in the GAR certainly had a chance of facilitating the first prison break in the history of the Citadel.

Rex scanned the hangar. He saw Skywalker and Kenobi giving last-minute orders to R2-D2. On the far side of the room, General Koon was busy making adjustments to his Delta interceptor. Talking to him was –

_Ahsoka._

Rex was doubly glad she wasn’t coming along on this one. They hadn’t spoken since returning from Mortis. The whole Force-Bond thing had really thrown things for a loop. Rex knew he was making the right decision in asking her to find a way to break it off. It was just too dangerous. Too . . . _foreign_ to him. It wasn’t something that should be happening and therefore he had to put a stop to it. He had to be responsible. If they got caught, Rex would be terminated. And then who would lead the 501st? Who would take care of his brothers? Who would watch Ahsoka’s back? He didn’t trust anyone to do that but himself. He just couldn’t.

His reasoning was sound, but it didn’t make knowing that he was the source of her sorrow any easier. And he _knew_ she was sad. He knew it because – try as he might to avoid her and ignore the Bond – he still got twinges of her emotions every now and then, even all the way in the barracks while she was in the Temple. It was as though the damn thing was only getting stronger the more he tried to ignore it. Or perhaps he’d always just felt Ahsoka’s feelings and just never realized it. He was just hyper-aware of it now.

Whatever the case, he knew her presence would just be a distraction. And on a vital mission like this, that’d be dangerous.

He also . . . didn’t want her to get hurt . . .

It was a good thing that Ahsoka wasn’t coming along. Skywalker had a right to be skittish about including her, seeing as she'd actually died on their last 'impromptu' assignment. It had clearly scared him more than he let on. Besides, with any luck, by the time Rex returned to Coruscant, she would have found a way to break their Force Bond and they could move on with their friendship. Maybe they would return to normal.

But . . . Rex wasn’t quite sure. It was all he could hope for.

Skywalker and Kenobi were approaching them now. “Is everyone ready to go?” Skywalker asked.

“Yes, sir,” Cody reported after a quick look around. “Everyone’s present and accounted for. We’re awaiting your orders.

“You can start heading over there, then,” Skywalker said, smirking. He pointed behind the group. Rex and the others turned to see a large machine being worked on by several Ugnaught technicians.

_Oh, it’s gonna be one of_ those _missions._

What do the Jedi Order have a carbon-freezer for, anyway?

Who knew?

“I’ve never been carbon-frozen before, General,” Rex said as the group trekked toward the machine. Well, half the group. He, Cody, Fives, Echo, Skywalker, and Kenobi were going first. Charger, Longshot, Deadeye, Carver, and Trapper were being frozen second.

“It’s the first time for us, too,” Skywalker said. He didn’t look nervous. Just determined.

“This is your idea?” Kenobi asked, looking up at the machine. “Carbon-freezing?”

Each member of their little party stepped forward, standing on small, circular platforms all around the device. Rex knew that, when the time came, the platforms would be lowered and each person would be sprayed with a very specific gas that froze them in time. It wasn’t always successful, though. Things could go wrong.

But it was a little late to back out now.

“Hey,” Skywalker said, looking at Kenobi, “you wanted to shield us from the life-form scanners.”

“Are, er, we sure this thing is safe?” Fives asked, looking up at the huge technological monstrosity. “I don’t wanna end up a wall decoration.”

Rex snorted. Who in the universe would want a decoration like that?

“Try to relax,” said Kenobi, glancing over at him. “We’ll be unfrozen as soon as we arrive.”

If _we arrive._

He really was becoming a pessimist, wasn’t he? Holding his helmet under one arm, he stood straight and waited while the Ugnaughts fiddled with control panels around the freezing device.

Suddenly, he felt a burst of nervousness that wasn’t his own. Looking around, he saw Ahsoka watching on, one hand resting on R2-D2’s domed head. Her eyes met his. _She looks tired._ He forcefully averted his gaze.

His stomach flipped as he felt the ground beneath him shift. All of their platforms were simultaneously being lowered into the floor. The last thing Rex saw before blackness overtook him was a dull orange glow and several nozzles spraying him down with gray steam.

* * *

Ahsoka took a heavy step forward and had to take a second to right herself before stepping away from the carbonite husk she’d just exited. _Togrutas always land on their feet, my ass._ Her eyes were fuzzy, so she rubbed at them as she stretched her back.

It was warm here. And rocky. _Really_ rocky. They appeared to have landed near the bottom of a deep gorge. Not far away, she could just make out the edge of a steep cliff that overlooked a river of hot, yellow lava.

“Hey, Snips,” said a voice. She glanced over to see Anakin exiting his own carbon prison right next to her, cracking his neck with one hand. In front of him, Obi-Wan was stretching the muscles in one of his arms.

“Hey, Master,” Ahsoka said, placing her hands on her hips and arching her back, resulting in several satisfying cracks. Behind her – down the line of slabs – R2-D2 and his reprogrammed battle droids were fiddling with the controls of the others' tombs, letting them out one by one. Rex and Cody were already righting themselves as Echo was stepping out onto the hard ground.

Anakin froze, looking down at her as though only just realizing she was there.

“I must have carbon sickness,” Obi-Wan said, stretching his shoulder, “because I could swear that’s Ahsoka.”

Anakin groaned. “Your eyes are fine,” he said, looking livid. “It’s Ahsoka’s _hearing_ that needs help.”

“I received orders to join the team,” Ahsoka bluffed, stepping forward as Obi-Wan moved past to check in on the clones – and probably to give them some space. “I thought you knew.” She just hoped they wouldn’t see through the – admittedly thin – lie.

“Orders?” Anakin demanded, stepping closer. “From who?”

“I discussed it with Master Plo,” Ahsoka said. That was true enough.

“He didn’t tell _me_.”

“You were already in carbonite,” Ahsoka said. Also true.

“Well _I_ gave you a specific order not to come,” Anakin maintained.

She was going to have to banthashit her way through this one. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned from you, Master,” she said, as earnestly as she could, “it’s that following direct orders isn’t always the best way to solve a problem.”

“I see Anakin’s new teaching method is ‘do as I say, not as I do,’” quipped Obi-Wan, appearing from behind her. “Welcome aboard.”

Ahsoka couldn’t help but grin. If Obi-Wan accepted her presence, the others would just as easily.

She looked over to see Rex staring daggers at her.

* * *

Rex stumbled out onto the rocky ground and had to lean on the slab in front of him in order to stop himself from falling over outright. He was racked by a fit of coughs, causing him to drop his helmet onto the ground as he brought his hands up to cover his mouth on instinct.

_Carbonite. Next time, someone else needs to come up with the insertion plan._

Straightening, he stepped away from the now-empty slab. Cody stood to his left, already having collected himself. _As usual._

“You okay, _ori’vod_?” Cody asked, placing his helmet onto his head.

“Yeah,” Rex grumbled, clearing his throat one last time. “Yeah, I’m good.”

“Captain?”

Rex straightened to see General Kenobi standing in front of him.

“Yes, sir?”

“Give everyone a few moments to adjust, and then gear up,” the General ordered. “We must move quickly in order to avoid detection.”

“Copy that,” Rex nodded.

Something seemed to catch Kenobi’s attention, and he turned back toward the front of the line. “I see Anakin’s new teaching method is ‘do as I say, not as I do.’” He paused beside a small figure. “Welcome aboard.”

Rex blinked. Was he . . . seeing things? Because that figure sure looked like Ahsoka. But she wasn’t supposed to be here. She was _supposed_ to be back on Coruscant. “Is that –”

“Yep,” Cody nodded. “Can’t exactly say I’m surprised she decided to tag along.”

Rex scowled. Ahsoka turned towards the troops and noticed his disapproving gaze. “Commander!” Rex hissed, his teeth gritted. “ _What_ are you doing here?”

Ahsoka drew closer. “I’m coming along on the mission,” Ahsoka said, as though he were slow.

“Then why weren’t you at the briefing?” Rex asked, grimacing as he raised one eyebrow. “If I recall correctly, General Skywalker didn’t include you because you _weren’t coming_.”

“I cleared it all with Master Plo,” Ahsoka argued, frowning. “He’s said I should tag along. So here I am.”

Rex and Cody glanced at one another. It was clear they were both thinking the exact same thing: _like hell he cleared her_. She shouldn’t be here. It was too dangerous and thing were too . . . complicated. Rex didn’t like it. But there wasn’t really anything he could do about it, either. They were on Lola Sayu. It was too late to change the roster and they certainly couldn’t send Ahsoka packing.

They were stuck with her now.

“Right,” Rex said noncommittally, jamming his helmet onto his head.

Ahsoka crossed her arms and frowned at him.

“Come on,” Cody said, nudging Rex’s forearm. “Let’s make sure the men are ready.”

“Alright.”

The two troopers stepped away from the Togruta and headed back toward the rest of the clones. They’d all been unfrozen and were rallying themselves to get ready for the coming mission. Once they were far enough away from Ahsoka, Cody switched to the private comm channel. Just between the two of them.

“What’s the problem?” he asked. “Thought you’d be more alright with her showing up.”

“It’s too dangerous,” Rex replied. “She shouldn’t be here.” He couldn’t tell Cody the _real_ reason he didn’t want her around. Fives and Echo knew. But no one else on the mission did. Even if it was Cody, he just couldn’t risk it. The fewer people that knew about their Force Bond, the better.

“Look, just stay focused,” Cody told him. “We just get in, do our job, and get out.”

If only it were that simple. Rex had a bad feeling about this.

And he took those feelings a little more seriously nowadays.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now - The Smiths
> 
> And so begins the famous Citadel arc lol. Hold onto your hats, y'all.


	15. Released

**Gorge, Lola Sayu**

“Got everything you need, Longshot?” Ahsoka asked, lingering beside the clone as Cody adjusted his backpack. The three of them, along with Charger and Anakin, were the last members of the group still hanging close to the shuttle. The others had already begun the trek along the stone pathway before them that led closer to the Citadel.

“Just about,” the trooper replied, adjusting one of his straps as Cody stepped back and pronounced him good to go.

“Come on,” Cody said. “We don’t want to fall behind.”

As Anakin turned to give a last-minute set of instructions to R2, the clones and Ahsoka hustled forward to join the others.

“Whatcha got in those packs?” Ahsoka asked.

Longshot shook his pack. “Ascension cables, droid poppers, extra ammo, macrobinoculars –”

“Explosives,” Charger cut in.

“Naturally,” Ahsoka said, smirking. “But isn’t the idea to be _sneaky_?”

“Maybe,” Charger said, shrugging. “But we all know we’re gonna be discovered at some point. Which means we’d better be prepared.”

“Ya got me there.”

Anakin caught up with them and they kept a steady pace as they walked along the path. It was only a few meters wide, so they had to be careful where they stepped. To the right was the wall of the gorge, but to the left was a sheer drop into a river of hot lava. There’d be no saving anyone if they fell.

“I gotta say,” Charger said, “I’m glad you were cleared to come, Commander. It’s not the same without you.”

“Thanks, Charger,” Ahsoka said, smiling at him. “I just wish everyone else felt that way.” She glanced toward the head of the group, where Anakin and Rex were leading the way. Anakin would probably get over himself within the hour, but Rex had barely spoken to her since she’d arrived. What was his problem? Was he mad at her for coming along? Or was this related to the Force Bond thing? Or both?

Either way, he certainly wasn’t happy with her. And Ahsoka didn’t like it.

“Ah, he’ll come around,” Charger assured her, patting her on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it.”

_If only it were that easy._

At that moment, the Citadel came into view. The path curved and the group was suddenly looking out over a huge, deep pit. At the bottom was more lava. Across the way, a huge, somewhat triangular structure loomed high over them. It was dark and attached to the side of the gorge. Several spotlights were attached to the topmost level, scanning around the night. On the ground around the structure, Ahsoka could make out a series of pipes attached to the cliff face and the top of the gorge.

Anakin took a knee at the edge of the pathway and accepted a backpack from Rex. He reached inside and pulled out a pair of electrobinoculars. Holding them up to his eyes, he scanned the Citadel and the surrounding cliffs.

“I see the entry point,” he reported.

“You were right,” Cody said, checking some data inside his helmet. “The wind conditions _are_ too strong for jetpacks.”

“Yes,” agreed Obi-Wan, kneeling beside Anakin, “we’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way – with ascension cables and a steel grip.”

“I don’t think so,” Anakin said.

“What do you mean?”

Anakin scanned the cliff again. “Electro-mines,” he reported. _Stang._ “There’s nowhere to put a grappling hook at that height. And we hit one of those, the mission’s over. They’ll know we’re here.”

Obi-Wan took the electrobinoculars from him and took a look for himself.

“I suppose that means we free-climb it,” Rex said slowly, sounding less than thrilled with the idea.

Ahsoka peered at the cliff as well. Electrobinnoculars would’ve helped, but with her naturally good long-range vision, she could just make out the purple arcs of supercharged energy that sparked from mine to mine, though she couldn’t quite make out their origin. She also saw the metallic platform protruding from the gorge wall that was undoubtedly their ticket into the facility.

Yeah. That’d be a difficult climb.

“You know,” Fives muttered, “now I’m grateful for all those harsh conditioning drills they had us run for ARC trooper training.”

“Finally,” Echo quipped.

“Let’s get moving, everyone,” Rex said, taking the backpack back from Anakin and waving everyone onward.

* * *

Kenobi went up first. Followed by Skywalker, Ahsoka, Fives, Cody, Charger, Deadeye, Echo, Longshot, Carver, Trapper, and finally Rex. All the others climbed up after him. Slowly, he made his way up the totally vertical cliff-face, clutching at small crevices and uneven surfaces with his hands and feet as gravity fought him for every centimeter.

Around him, he could almost feel the crackling electricity that sparked off the huge, semicircular mines attached to the rocks. He tried not to focus too much on that. Tried to keep his mind on the climb and nothing else. Not the mines. Not what awaited them at the top. Not the drop that awaited him if he slipped and fell. Not the lava far below that he’d sink into if that happened. The wind only got worse the higher he climbed, clinging to any angles it could find. He counted himself mildly lucky that he was wearing his pauldron and kama; both were smooth pieces of material that made him slightly more wind-resistant than his brothers – aside from Fives and Echo, of course, in their full ARC trooper kits.

It seemed as though each gust was threatening to tear him away from the rock wall, dooming him to fall with no one able to readily save him. His hands were aching, and his arms and legs were getting tired. With all the extra armor and gear he wore, he was becoming increasingly jealous of the Jedi and their much lighter attire.

That said, he knew he’d be grateful for the extra protection once any fighting started.

He just needed to cling to that thought for now.

“You hangin’ in there, Snips?” Skywalker called, pausing to look down and check on Ahsoka.

“Couldn’t be better,” she replied, pausing as well. Rex was now only just below her, so he caught her second – muttered – comment. “I could do without the wind, though.”

‘You and me both,’ Rex wanted to say. He wanted to resume their normal banter. But he couldn’t. Not right now. He needed to keep his distance. He didn’t want to indulge in anything other than professionalism. It would only make things stranger once their Bond was finally severed. Only after it was gone did he feel like things could go back to normal. Until then, he needed to keep at arms-length with her. So, he kept his mouth shut and just focused on climbing.

“The entry point is just a few more meters,” General Kenobi called. Rex paused and cast his gaze upwards. The General was indeed hanging off the cliff just below a durasteel platform the jutted out unnaturally from the cliff.

_Almost there. Keep it together._

Everyone stopped suddenly.

Knowing the signs, Rex paused and held himself close to the rocks, flattening himself as best as he could against them. Something was wrong.

“What’s the issue?” he asked over the commlink.

“Can’t see,” reported Longshot. “Commander?”

“Droid patrol on the platform,” Cody said, the strain evident in his voice. “Kenobi’s keeping watch. Standby.”

“Copy that,” Rex said, gritting his teeth and tightening his hold as best he could. His limbs were really hurting now.

“Not sure how much longer I can keep this up,” muttered Trapper.

“We’re almost there,” Echo said. “Don’t let up now.”

“They locked the door!” Kenobi called. The patrol must’ve gone. “It’s ray-shielded.”

_Fuck!_

“Ray-shielded?” Skywalker repeated, sounding flabbergasted. “That wasn’t the plan.”

They’d gone in with old data and faulty scans. They should’ve expected a few bumps here and there. What the hell were they gonna do now?

“Well, it’s in the plan now,” Kenobi replied, still hanging onto the ledge of the platform.

“There’s an opening up there,” Ahsoka shouted. Rex found her. She was hanging off the cliff a few meters up and to his left; a bit away from the others. Her angle must’ve given her a better view.

“We know,” Skywalker said, sounding somewhat exasperated. “They’re ventilation ducts. But they’re far too small for us to gain access.”

“Too small for you, maybe,” Ahsoka said. She eyeballed the vents again. “But I think I can squeeze through.” Rex knew that Togrutas had better special awareness than humans. If she thought she could get through, she probably could.

“Well, we hadn’t planned on Ahsoka being here,” Kenobi said. “Perhaps she’s right.”

Nothing happened for a moment. Then, Skywalker gave a small nod and Ahsoka shot upwards toward the platform.

As she slipped out of sight, all Rex could do was hold on and wait with his brothers.

And hope that she’d be alright.

* * *

Ahsoka jumped onto the small ledge above the door they were supposed to enter, barely glancing at the door – which was blocked by a red, glowing ray-shield. She placed her hands on the square cover of the vent she was supposed to crawl through. It was _small_. But she knew she could fit. Barely. She had to try. Because she was here and no one else could do it. And she wasn’t supposed to be here anyway, so she had to make herself useful. For her own consciousness.

The vent turned out to be a hexagon. She slid inside, using her arms and some of the Force to push herself through the hole and into the air duct. She wriggled forward into the cramped, dark tunnel. She held her breath as she crawled forward, searching each surface around her for a way out; an exit.

Thankfully, it was only a meter or two away from the entrance when she found a grate just below her. Opening it, she peeked her head out and scanned the corridor around her. In one direction, she saw a pair of super battle droids rounding a corner away from the door. Thankful to be in an enlarged space once more, Ahsoka slipped out of the vent and dropped to the floor, flipping in the air to land on her feet. Taking a cursory glance around and detecting no threats, she turned and padded toward the door, immediately interacting with the console to shut the ray-shield down. The instant she pressed the button, the red light disappeared.

Anakin and Obi-Wan leapt up onto the platform outside the door and started helping the clones as well.

“See?” Ahsoka said, leaning against the doorframe and looking out at Anakin. “I can handle myself after all.”

Anakin just shook his head and walked past her, stepping into the Citadel. Cody and Longshot were covering the entrance as Obi-Wan helped Deadeye and Carver up onto the platform, followed by Echo. Fives was reaching down and pulling Rex up, with Charger not far behind. Everything – despite not necessarily going according to that plan that had been laid out – was going pretty well so far.

_Crack!_

“Charger!” Fives shouted, reaching down. She could hear the panicked screaming.

Ahsoka darted forward and peered over the edge with Fives and Rex, only to see the clone falling through empty space – down toward the lava below. Before she could even reach out and attempt to save him using the Force, Charger’s body hit one of the Electro-mines. And it was over. With a blinding purple light, the mine ignited and exploded with enough force to blow an immense hole in the side of the cliff-face. Charger had no doubt been disintegrated. There was no trace of him in the Force.

“Damn it!” Fives cursed, striking his thigh with one fist. Ahsoka could feel the anger radiating off of him.

“Well, they know we’re here,” Obi-Wan said, his voice tight.

At that moment, an alarm blared from the Citadel’s speaker systems. It was probably going off throughout the entire base. So much for a stealthy mission.

_I’m glad you were cleared to come, Commander. It’s not the same without you._

Ahsoka gritted her teeth.

“Come on, inside!” Cody shouted. “They’ll probably lock down the doors.”

With little choice, Ahsoka followed the others as they filed into the door. They had their one and only in. They couldn’t afford to be locked up now. No more mishaps. It was good that Cody had rallied them; as the ray-shield sprung back into place the split-second Echo had passed over the threshold, prompting a quiet ‘ _osik!_.’

“Not even an hour in and the plan’s already falling apart,” Carver muttered, shaking his head.

“We’re here now,” Cody said. “Complications or not, we have to press on. Especially now –”

“That we have no choice.”

“We didn’t before,” Echo pointed out. “We have a mission to complete. No turning back.”

“Stay focused, everyone,” Anakin prompted, motioning them all forward. “Ahsoka, Cody, Longshot – take the lead and scan for droid patrols.”

Ahsoka nodded. Taking a deep breath, she jogged to the head of the group with the two clones as they began to move down the hall and deeper into the facility. Despite their loss, they had to keep moving. Especially now. They couldn’t afford to get boxed in with the entire base searching for intruders.

As they came upon a corner, Ahsoka pressed herself into the alcoves created by the hallway’s architecture. As Cody and Longshot covered her, she peered ahead. On the other side of the corridor, she saw a squad of battle droids passing by, headed in the opposite direction. She held up one hand, motioning for everyone to stop, and waited. After a few moments, they all disappeared.

“Clear,” she reported.

Anakin and Obi-Wan led the way forward, followed by Rex, the two ARC troopers, and the rest of the clones. Ahsoka fell into step just behind Anakin and ahead of Rex. She could feel his gaze boring into her back, but she tried her best to ignore it. _Focus on the mission. Don’t get distracted._

“Take out their surveillance,” Anakin ordered, pointing out a pair of square holorecorders hanging from the ceiling in the four-way intersection ahead of them.

Fives and Echo dropped to their knees and raised their blasters. After a moment of aiming, both troopers fired one after another, taking out the two cameras. A split-second later, small laser devices protruded from the walls around crossroads, activating and opening fire on the group.

“Cover!” Rex ordered, simultaneously pushing Ahsoka into the wall and drawing his DC-17s. The clones all pressed themselves into alcoves as Anakin and Obi-Wan drew their lightsabers and stood their ground, deflecting bolts both away from themselves and their troops. Like she should be doing.

“Rex!” she hissed, watching Fives and Echo destroy a few of the turrets. “Get off me!”

Grunting, Rex shifted backed off a tad as he laid down covering fire, allowing her to slip past him and activate one of her lightsabers.

Obi-Wan gave Echo a nod. He stepped out into the crossroads, swinging his lightsaber upwards to catch the turrets higher on the wall to the left. Ahsoka darted after him, swiping lower to destroy a pair of emplacements closer to the ground. Glancing back, she saw that Echo and Fives and stepped out and blasted the turrets on the other side of the intersection. Silence fell.

“Well,” Longshot said. “That wasn’t so bad.”

“Stay focused,” Rex said, holstering his pistols and stepping forward. “Let’s keep moving.”

_Geez, what’s his_ problem _?_

Rex was acting pretty surly. She could feel his annoyance and resignation through their Bond. Either he’d given up trying to shield himself from her or his emotions were just slipping through the cracks in his facade. Did he really not want her around _that_ much?

The thought hurt.

But no . . . He’d immediately shielded her when the turrets started firing. So . . . what was his deal? Ahsoka kept trying to figure it out as she and the others followed Rex, but she wasn’t able to think about it for very long. There was a sudden, deep hum followed by a whirring noise. The crackle of electricity filled the air.

“The walls are electrified,” shouted Deadeye. “Go. _Go, go go_!”

And they were all running. Adrenaline and terror shot through Ahsoka, pushing her forward. Glancing back, she saw a sheet of purple electricity sparking off the walls, gaining speed as it moved toward them. Getting caught in that meant a swift, painful death.

Suddenly, she was alone.

“Over here!”

She glanced to her left. Rex was waving her over into one of the adjacent hallways. Without thinking, she dived toward him. Relief flooded through her as she moved out of the way of the electricity trap. She’d made it. She was safe.

And then a pained scream from behind her grabbed her attention.

Whirling around, she saw that Longshot hadn’t been quick enough. The sheet of electricity grabbed him and pushed him forward several meters before depositing him upon the cold, metal floor and dissipating. Longshot convulsed and spasmed for a few moments as the electricity made its way throughout his nervous system, purple sparks crackling across his armor. Then, he was still.

“Longshot!” Cody shouted, one hand reaching out towards his fallen comrade as though to try and help him, though Ahsoka knew it wouldn’t do any good. He was already gone. Two men down, and they hadn’t even rescued Master Piell yet. How were they going to get through all this in one piece?

“We must keep moving,” Obi-Wan said softly.

* * *

The group paused outside of a cell.

“I’ve got a single life-form inside,” Echo said as he surveyed the door, his rangefinder lowered. _What I wouldn’t give for some of that ARC trooper tech._ “This is it.”

Rex took control of the situation. “Fives, Echo – you first,” he said, motioning to them. “Then me and Cody. Then the Jedi. The rest of you, keep us covered.”

Everyone nodded and got into position. Standard breach-and-clear tactics. Just like training. The two ARC troopers formed up on the door; Fives on the right, Echo on the left. Cody stopped behind Fives while Rex took up position behind Echo, reaching down to draw one of his sidearms.

“Whenever you’re ready, boss,” Fives said, readying his carbine.

“Standard count,” Rex said. He counted mentally. _Three . . . two . . ._ “Do it.”

Echo put a fist into the control panel and the door slid open. Both ARC troopers rounded their corners and stepped into the room, blasters firing fast and precise. They really were a hell of a team. Making a note to praise them later, Rex slipped into the room behind the duo and surveyed the scene before him. Four commando droids lay fried upon the floor. A small Lannik male that could only be General Piell hung suspended in an energy field in the center of the small, hexagonal room. Before him stood a stunned-looking EV-series medical droid.

Rex put a round straight through its head and it slumped to the ground, letting out an almost ear-piercing pained scream as it fell. Disturbing yet satisfying all the same.

As the four clones spread out through the cell, double-checking to make sure that all the droids were truly dead, Kenobi, Skywalker, and Ahsoka raced in after them.

“Secure the entrance,” Skywalker ordered, glancing over his shoulder at Deadeye, Carver, and Trapper, who had formed up just outside of the cell.

His lightsaber activated, he paused in front of General Piell and swung at the base of the energy field holding him, destroying the emitter. Kenobi drew closer and caught the grizzled-looking Jedi before he hit the ground. Carefully, he set the much shorter being on his feet.

“Master Peill, are you alright?” he asked.

“Obi-Wan,” grunted the Jedi, with a voice that sounded about as smooth as sandpaper, “what took you guys so long?” His face was obscured by a series of scars that crisscrossed it. One of his eyes appeared to be missing.

“Well, at least your sense of humor is still intact,” Skywalker remarked as Kenobi handed him his lightsaber, which he had produced from a pocket in his belt.

“It takes more than they got to break me, young Skywalker,” Piell said, stretching one of his shoulders.

“So you have the coordinates to the Nexus Route?” Skywalker asked.

“I got them, alright,” Piell nodded. He paused. “Half of them, anyway.” Rex, Cody, and Fives all glanced at one another. _You’ve got to be shitting m –_ “My Captain’s got the other half. I erased the computers when we were boarded and had both of us memorize part of the intel. That way, if somehow I cracked –” he kicked the head of the fallen medical droid “– the information would be useless to them without the other half.”

 _Damn it_. Rex had to admit it had been a tactically smart idea. But it still meant that they had more prisoners to find. And rescue. And keep alive. _Nothing_ was going according to plan. He could feel the anxiousness over this new twist radiating off Ahsoka. Even though he _shouldn’t_. He couldn’t look at her.

“Where’s your captain?” Kenobi asked.

“Being held with the other officers, I assume,” Piell said, turning towards him once more.

“We’re gonna need a new plan for getting out,” Skywalker said.

That sounded about right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Released - Halo 3 Soudtrack
> 
> Well, the plot thickens.
> 
> I'm three chapters into writing Umbara right now, so I'm knee-deep in angst y'all.


	16. Masks On

**Hallways of the Citadel, Lola Sayu**

“We’re clear. Move up,” Cody ordered, waving them ahead.

Obi-Wan, Master Piell, and the 212th boys led the way, while Ahsoka, Anakin, Rex, Echo, and Fives brought up the rear. They were headed for another section of the detention block, searching the cells for any other life signs. Hopefully, they’d find Master Piell’s captain in one piece and still in possession of the other half of the hyperspace coordinates. Or this whole thing will have been for nothing.

Ahsoka was on-edge.

Nothing was going according to plan today, and she doubted things were going to get any better as time went on. But she could always be hopeful.

“Wait!” Carver said, pausing at the head of the group. Everyone stopped.

A split-second later, a trio of commando droids rounded the corner ahead of them, flipping through the air and raising their weapons. Ahsoka, Anakin, and Obi-Wan all drew their lightsabers and struck battle-ready stances. It was only three droids. Even if they were commandos, this shouldn’t be too bad. Then, she heard more movement from directly behind her.

Whirling around with Anakin and the 501st boys, she saw another three commando droids round the corner they had just come around.

They were surrounded.

Blaster fire erupted on both sides. The Jedi all held their positions, lightsabers whirling as they deflected incoming bolts. The clones opened fire as well, but the commandos rushed them, jumping and dodging through the air as they closed the distance between themselves and the Republic forces. As Ahsoka deflected shot after shot, she heard a clatter from just behind her. Turning, she saw one commando droid had broken through and now had Trapper by the throat. It had slammed him up against the wall to her right and was driving its metal fist into his stomach over and over. Even with plastoid armor, that still had to hurt. He needed help.

She turned and moved toward him, but at that moment, a heavy weight knocked her to the ground. Gasping with surprise, she fell back and was pinned against the floor, her head knocking painfully against the durasteel. Looking up, she saw that one of the commando droids head leapt at her and pushed her down. Everyone else was busy dealing with the other droids. No one was going to help her.

Its cold, metal hands wrapped around her throat and _squeezed_.

She couldn’t breathe.

* * *

Rex shifted his aim from the front of the group to the rear, shooting a pair of blaster bolts directly over Fives head to smash into the faceplate of one of the oncoming commando droids. It fell forward, and he had to take a step sideways to avoid it toppling into him. Fives shifted his aim and put a few more bolts into the droid; just to make sure it was dead. Skywalker engaged the final commando droid on their side, swinging his lightsaber through it twice and cutting it to pieces.

Rex felt a jolt of pain in his temple and glanced around, knowing something was wrong. _The Bond!_

Just to the right, a commando droid crouched over a small form on the ground, struggling against the crushing grip it had on their throat. It was Ahsoka.

_Oh, no you don’t!_

Rex kicked out with one foot, catching the droid in its small, circular head, causing it to jerk sideways. Momentarily stunned, it loosened its grip on Ahsoka and pulled away from her. Shifting his aim to make sure he didn’t hit his commander, he put two rounds into its chestplate. Its eyes went dark and it slumped to the floor; dead.

“We must keep moving,” General Kenobi urged.

Rex glanced over to see him, Cody, and General Piell standing over the other three commando droids, which lay in pieces at their feet. Rex turned his attention back to Ahsoka, who was still lying on the floor, one hand rubbing at the base of her throat as she sucked in air.

Unable to help himself, Rex knelt down beside her and offered her his hand. “You, er . . . okay?” he asked.

“Y-Yeah,” she coughed, taking his hand and allowing him to pull her to her feet. “I’m good. Thanks for the save.”

“Anytime, ma’am.”

Ahsoka frowned momentarily, then released him and turned with the rest of the group to continue down the hallway without glancing back. What? What had he said? He was just doing his job.

_I called her ‘ma’am.’ When was the last time I did that?_

_I’m just being professional. It’s better that way._

_Is it really? Do I feel any better?_

_Shut up._

Rex shook his head and fell into step with Fives and Echo – just behind Ahsoka – as they continued on. He needed to _focus_. He needed to ignore the fact that his Force Bond had just alerted him to danger involving Ahsoka. Because – despite that being useful – he shouldn’t be able to feel that. To know that. At all.

Everyone kept their weapons drawn. The commando droids had just proven that they could be ambushed at any moment and they needed to be prepared for that. Who knew what other surprises this place had in store for them?

They didn’t make it twenty paces before the next trap went off.

Loud, high-pitched buzzing suddenly filled Rex’s ears. One moment there had been nothing, and the next there was a sound so intense, so piercing, that he was shocked his helmet buffers hadn’t kicked in to block it out. Maybe it was a specific frequency that bypassed his external audio pickup and simply targeted his organic systems. Whatever it was, it _hurt._

Instinctively, he whipped his hands up – still holding his pistols – and covered the sides of his helmet. Not like that did any good – he wasn’t actually covering his ears. Looking around he saw everyone else doing the same. If this sounded bad to him, he could only imagine what it was like for General Piell. As a Lannik, his ears were much bigger and therefore picked up more sound. Ahsoka – a Togruta with extremely acute hearing thanks to her montrals – was doubled over in pain, her eyes closed and her teeth grinding together as the white noise assaulted her headtails.

How much of the pain Rex was in was his own? Was he feeling some of what Ahsoka felt?

He took a step forward, hoping to do _something_ , but he was stopped.

His weapons were suddenly yanked violently from his hands. Looking up, he saw them float upwards toward the ceiling. Everyone else’s blasters and even the Jedis’ lightsabers were pulled there as well. Rex tried to think, but the noise was just too loud. Then, he saw General Skywalker shoot into the air as well, pulled up by his right hand – the mechanical one.

“Anakin!” shouted Kenobi, barely audible over the noise.

Skywalker and their weapons were stuck to a raised section of the ceiling; several meters over their heads. _Must be some kind of high-powered magnet._

Out of nowhere, that same purple electricity that Rex had seen all throughout the facility generated on the ceiling, shocking Skywalker, who let a pained yell and spasmed as the voltage shot through him.

“Master!” Ahsoka called, gazing up.

The buzzing suddenly subsided, but Rex’s ears were then filled by manic laughter, probably coming over an intercom of some sort.

“You fools!” the rough voice taunted. A squad of four commando droids appeared around them. “I hope you enjoyed the reunion with your fellow Jedi, because you’re going to be my guests for a very long time.” The commando droids closed in around them, raising their blasters and keeping them all sighted in, ready to fire at a moment’s notice.

Rex’s hands closed into fists. This wasn’t the first time he’d gone up against droids unarmed. Then again, these were _commando_ droids. But there were more clones and Jedi than there were tinnies, so that should even the odds a bit.

Then, Ahsoka and General Piell made identical movements next to him. They both stepped forward and stretched their arms out, their faces screwed up in concentration. Behind him, Kenobi did the same thing. All at once, the commando droids skidded back several paces, then stopped. Their legs were stationary, but their bodes leaned backward as though being held back by something. _The Force. Right._

“They’re magnetized!” Kenobi warned.

The Jedi all sent out another waved of energy, keeping the droids from righting themselves and getting a proper bead on them. That didn’t stop them from firing their blasters anyway. Several shots flew in odd directions; overhead and into the walls around them. Rex ducked as a few nearly took his head off. To his right, Fives dodged a volley of bolts and charged the droids, raising a fist to deliver a blow to its head. It was ready for him, though, and managed to send one metal fist into the clone’s faceplate that sent him reeling back before Ahsoka was able to push it back once more. Behind him, Rex saw Cody and Carver get sent sprawling as well, having met similar opposition. The Jedi weren’t going to be able to keep the droids in place forever. They were going to have a problem in a moment or two.

Suddenly, General Skywalker fell to the floor in a heap just beside Rex, his lightsaber shutting off as it clattered to the floor beside him. Then, blasters and lightsabers were raining down on them all. He must’ve been able to disable the magnets.

One of Rex’s sidearms bounced off his helmet and fell to the floor at his feet. He and Fives reached for their weapons at the same time, taking aim at the nearly defenseless commando droids in front of them. As one, the two clones opened fire, striking the droids in the head and chest. Behind them, Rex saw General Kenobi engage both clankers on his side, cutting them to pieces in a few strokes of his newly retrieved weapon.

“That,” muttered Fives, kicking one of the downed droids, “was a little too close.”

“Could’ve been worse,” Ahsoka said, crouching to retrieve both of her lightsabers and clipping them to her belt. “We all survived.”

“Are you alright, sir?” asked Echo, pausing to help Skywalker to his feet.

The General stood, shaking his head slightly and holding his own ‘saber. “Yeah,” he nodded, “let’s get out of here.”

As everyone rallied and continued further down the hall, Rex turned and covered their retreat, his eyes scanning the corridor behind them for any other threats. Nothing presented itself. Turning, he spied one of the square security cameras hanging from the ceiling just in front of him. _Damn. Didn’t see_ that _before._

Smirking behind his helmet, he leveled one of his DC-17s right at the lens and pulled the trigger.

* * *

“I’ve got six lifeforms inside,” Echo reported, scanning the cell in front of them. “Let’s hope it’s them.”

Ahsoka crouched behind her Master as he nodded, igniting his lightsaber just outside the door to the cell in question. They’d reached the other detention block without much further incident. Now, they were finally in reach of the other half of their goal.

Anakin jammed his lightsaber through the door, and Ahsoka’s sensitive hearing picked up the groan of a droid on the other side. Deadeye hit the door’s controls and it flew open. Ahsoka sprang into action, launching herself around the doorframe and slamming into another droid inside the cell. Her feet connected with its chest and her weight sent it sprawling to the ground. Now with the upper hand, she reached into her belt and drew her shoto, igniting it and stabbing the tinny through its chest. It let out a pained grunt and went dead.

Behind her, she heard the sounds of the others filling into the cell. She glanced around at the prisoners. Five of the men were clones – three wore officer’s uniforms, while the other two were dressed only in blacks. The sixth man was a normal human. He was pale, with a look of calmness and superiority about him. He didn’t seem the least bit surprised that a group of Jedi and clones had suddenly busted into his cell.

“General,” said the man, standing upon noticing Master Piell.

“Captain Tarkin,” said the Jedi Master.

“Never thought I’d see you again,” said the man, Tarkin. He glanced around, bemused. “And you brought friends.”

“Tarkin, this is Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker,” said Master Piell, gesturing at the two Jedi. _Yeah, that’s right. Don’t introduce the Padawan._

She thought she heard Rex snort, but she might just have been imagining it.

“Now that you’ve found us,” said Tarkin, “how do you expect to get us out? If they’ve locked this fortress down, there’s at least ten squads on their way. It’s going to be impossible to escape.”

Ahsoka frowned and shook her head. They’d gotten this far, hadn’t they? A little faith would be nice.

“What if we split up?” suggested Obi-Wan, one hand stroking his beard. “My team will create a diversion, while Anakin leads the others away. That way, if one of us is captured, the enemy will only have part of the information and not all of it.”

“General Kenobi,” Tarkin put in, brushing past Rex, who shook his head but didn’t say anything, “I think it’s better if we stick together. A stronger force would have a better chance of protecting the information.”

“Not in this situation,” Obi-Wan maintained, turning and starting to ascend the short flight of steps out of the cells.

Tarkin kept after him, opening his mouth once more. “But surely we’d have more strength in numbers, rather than divide us.”

Ahsoka was starting to really not like him.

“Obi-Wan has a point,” Master Piell said. “I’ll go with him. You go with Skywalker.”

That settled that.

Obi-Wan set off with Cody, Master Piell, Deadeye, Carver, Trapper, and the three – formerly – captive clone officers. They were headed for the upper levels to create some havoc and then hopefully disappear. Anakin and Ahsoka moved in the opposite direction with Rex – who now had Scale’s backpack full of explosives – Fives, Echo, Captain Tarkin, and the other two prisoners: a pair of rank and file troopers named Ket and Blink. They moved to the lower levels, making for the exit point that Anakin and Obi-Wan had agreed upon in their original plan. Things were a little different now.

After moving down several floors in complete silence, Anakin opened a holorecorder and glanced at it. The transparent, blue image that floated before him was a maze of passages; probably a rudimentary map of the Citadel. He paused, then began feeling the wall to their right with one hand. After a few seconds, he raised his lightsaber and plunged it into the durasteel, then began carving a quick circle into it. Upon completing the circle, Anakin withdrew his lightsaber.

“Everybody in,” he ordered, waving the group on.

Fives and Echo stepped forward. Together, they put their shoulders to the now disconnected slab of metal and pushed. Slowly, the durasteel gave way, revealing a passage to the outside. Ahsoka knew she was the smallest and most agile; therefore, she should go first and make sure everything was safe. She dove through the hole and came out on the other side, glancing around to check if the coast was clear.

They were in a narrow, twisting gorge. Where exactly, she couldn’t have said. But this was the exit route, so it was hopefully safe. At least . . . as safe as anywhere on Lola Sayu could be. She stood upon a small ledge that wrapped all the way around the gorge on either side. In the center of the area, there was another river of hot lava.

“This is one of the original fortress tunnels,” Echo said, looking around.

“The advantage of old archive data,” Fives remarked, nodding.

As everyone else began filing through the hole, Ahsoka ran ahead, darting around the first few turns in their path forward. At least for now, she could act as a scout. Upon meeting no threats, she returned to make visual contact with the others.

“The tunnel’s clear,” she called.

Anakin turned to Tarkin. “Looks like Obi-Wan’s distraction worked,” he said. “Things seem to be going as planned.”

“It’s when things do not go as planned that concerns me,” said Tarkin. “What then?”

“It’s when things don’t go as planned that we Jedi are at our best,” Anakin retorted. “Trust me.” And he stepped forward.

“I reserve my trust for those who take action, General Skywalker.”

Anakin stopped midstride. “Then let me remind you,” he said, his tone switching from cordial to dangerous, “ _we_ rescued _you_ back there. And I reserve _my_ trust for those who understand gratitude, Captain Tarkin.”

It was nice to know that Anakin didn’t seem to like the guy as much as she did. Who did he think he was?

Behind him, after a nod from Rex, Echo and Fives picked up the slab of metal and pressed it back into the wall, concealing their escape route from any potential intruders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Masks On - The Last of Us Part 2 Soundtrack (I swear to god I despise this game, but the soundtrack goes hard)
> 
> Hey, hey, hey! Nobody died this chapter!
> 
> Also, the number of prisoners they rescued was really hard to keep track of because - once again - the number seemed to fluctuate depending on the scene. After watching the entire arc, I eventually settled on there being fives clones plus Tarkin.
> 
> Couple of funny errors I noticed in this part of the episode while watching it:  
> 1) Ahsoka's getting choked to death by a commando droid, but you can see Fives and Rex standing right over her, weapons drawn, doing nothing.  
> 2) Fives' and Echo's DC-17 sidearms aren't pulled away by the magnet trap


	17. Shadowplay

**Old Fortress tunnels, Lola Sayu**

Ahsoka followed close behind Anakin and Captain Tarkin as they slipped along the narrow, rocky route away from the Citadel. He was sticking close to her Master for some reason and she didn’t like it, but she couldn’t protest either. Behind her, Ket limped along, followed by Rex and the other injured trooper, Blink. Fives and Echo brought up the rear.

Anakin opened his commlink. “Artoo,” he said, “are you and your battle droids ready to go?”

A series of beeps was his answer.

“Alright. Get the ship fired up. We’ll meet you at the pipeline exit after you’ve picked up Obi-Wan. Assuming he’s still on schedule.” He cut the link. Then, he turned to Ahsoka. “Take point for a bit, will you? I want to make sure we’re not being followed.”

Ahsoka nodded dutifully.

As Anakin slipped away, moving down the line past the others, Ahsoka glanced back at Rex. “Think he’s trying to show off again?” she asked.

“Not now,” he said, waving one hand, the other clasping the grip of his sidearm in its holster. “Let’s just . . . keep moving.” He barely even looked at her.

Ahsoka frowned but moved to lead the group. What was up with Rex? He really was giving her the cold shoulder. But . . . no. He’d saved her only about an hour ago and made sure she was alright. But then before that, he’d barely talked to her. He was swinging between hot and cold and it was giving her whiplash.

What happened to their usual mid-mission banter?

What happened to their friendship?

Taking a deep breath, Ahsoka rounded the next corner, scanning left and right before waving the others onward. Tarkin followed after her, then the others. As she knelt down beside the ledge overlooking the lava river several meters below. Glancing back, she saw a probe droid round the corner they had just turned. Before she could even reach for her lightsaber, Anakin dropped out of nowhere, swinging his lightsaber and cutting the droid in half.

Quickly, he deactivated his ‘saber, glanced back to make sure no other droids were around, and rejoined the rear of the group.

“I am beginning to admire the design of this fortress,” Captain Tarkin commented as he walked behind Ahsoka, glancing around at their surroundings. “It’s rather formidable to evade.”

Ahsoka stood and fell into step behind him. “How can you admire such a horrible place?” she asked, frowning.

“Ah, you reveal your shortsightedness,” Tarkin exclaimed, holding up a hand as though he were lecturing a slow student. “This ordeal only demonstrates how effective facilities like the Citadel are.” He shook his head. “Pity it ended up in Separatist hands and not ours.”

Ahsoka pulled up short, allowing Tarkin to get ahead of her. She didn’t want to be around him a second longer than she absolutely had to. She placed one hand on her hip and rolled her eyes behind his back.

“He has a point,” said Anakin, who had only just caught up with her. She turned and gaped at him. Whose side was he on, anyway? He cleared his throat. “Alright, Snips, I need you to lead the group. Keep following the tunnel. I’ll catch up.” He turned to go.

“Hey,” Ahsoka stopped him, “where are you going?”

“Obi-Wan’s not here, so someone has to protect our flank,” Anakin told her.

Ahsoka smirked. “I guess it’s a good thing I came along after all.”

* * *

Trapper watched silently through the grate as the droid patrol passed underneath him. He, Cody, Deadeye, Carver, General Kenobi, General Piell, and the three clone officers they’d rescued – Holo, Slipstream, and Charr – were all crouched in one of the many ventilation shafts that crisscrossed all over the Citadel. After they’d blown up nearly an entire floor of the facility in order to create a distraction for Skywalker’s team, they needed to disappear for a while and find a way back toward the shuttle.

Silently, General Kenobi motioned for them to start moving as the droids beneath them passed out of sight. Together, they quietly moved through the horizontal shaft above the corridor below.

_So far, so good._

Kinda. They’d lost Charger and Longshot; that hadn’t been in the plan. Nor had any of the traps that the Seppies had sprung on them thus far. Trapper just kept telling himself that things were fine; the only reason for the hiccups was that they’d gone in with old data and very little hard intel. There were bound to be some hefty problems to overcome in a place like this. But it was nothing they couldn’t handle. Right?

The seven of them crowded around a vertical vent just a few meters ahead. It extended both upward and downward for what appeared to be many floors.

“This passage will get us near the landing pad,” Kenobi said, looking upward. Not bothering to glance down at the long fall that awaited him if he missed a step, he began climbing, using the wires and crevasses to haul himself upwards.

“Climbing again?” Trapper muttered. “I hate heights.”

“Can it,” Cody ordered. He glanced back at the others. “Can all of you climb?” There was murmured assent from the officers, which was good. Anyone not physically fit would certainly have a hard time making it out of this place alive. “Alright. Let’s get moving.” And he climbed up after Kenobi.

Sighing, Trapper made to follow him, along with Deadeye, and General Piell, whose small size allowed him a greater degree of agility in the otherwise confined space. Holo, Slipstream, and Charr went next, followed by Carver, who took the rear. As they climbed, Kenobi ducked into another horizontal shaft a floor junction or two ahead, surveying the group to make sure that everyone was making it.

As long he focused on something other than the aching in his fingers and didn’t look down at the fathomless drop beneath him, Trapper would be fine. Probably.

Kenobi raised his wristcomm to his mouth.

“Artoo,” Trapper heard him say, “send the shuttle to the rear landing platform.”

There was a flurry of binary, and then the voice of a battle droid answered him.

“We’ve already been given the go-ahead by General Skywalker, sir,” said the droid, “assuming _you_ are still on schedule.”

_That’s going to take some getting used to._ They’d been away for so long that Trapper had almost forgotten about the battle droids that had been reprogrammed to follow R2-D2’s instructions. Now, hopefully, they’d prove useful in passing the shuttle off as a friendly.

“The trick will be if Anakin arrives on time,” Obi-Wan countered. And he cut the link. He peeked his head out and looked up. Cody had taken the lead and was already climbing onto the next level as the General crawled back into the vertical tube just ahead of Trapper.

The clone had only just pushed himself up into the horizontal shaft that Kenobi had vacated when there was a sudden burst of static from above.

“A probe!” Cody shouted.

Trapper’s head jerked upward. Ahead, he saw a black probe droid dart past Cody and start rocketing up the passage. There was no doubt it had seen them. If it got away, they’d be caught yet again. Trapper reached for his blaster, though he wasn’t sure if he’d actually be able to hit the thing – he was just too far below and there were too many people in his way.

Luckily, it seemed that General Piell was more on top of things. The small Jedi leapt past Kenobi, using the Force and acrobatics to close the distance between himself and the droid. He jumped from wall to wall, drawing his green lightsaber as he rocketed past Cody and cut the probe in half mid-flight.

Both he and the two smoking parts of the droid fell. The sparking metal fell past everyone, while Master Piell managed to grab onto the side of the vent and brought himself to a stop a meter or two above Trapper’s position.

“Did you get it?” General Kenobi demanded, looking down.

_Clunk. Clunk._

That sounded bad.

The droid must have triggered some sort of trap. Metal slabs were closing at different subsections throughout the vent, cutting off their route above and below.

“Security doors!” Kenobi shouted. “Move or you’ll be cut in half!”

He loosened his grip on the wall and slid down slightly, only just avoiding being decapitated by the slab that slid shut just above him. Another door closed just below his feet, sealing him in and blocking Trapper’s view of him.

General Piell released his grip on the wall and landed next to Trapper, able to stand up almost totally straight in the small shaft. Across from him, Deadeye had clambered up into the horizontal passage as well, positioning himself to only just avoid a door that closed directly behind him as he helped Charr up next to him. Holo had managed to pull himself up next to Trapper and the General. Which only left Slipstream and Carver.

“Come on, get up here!” Deadeye shouted, motioning for the two to hurry up.

A door slid shut just beneath the two clones’ feet as they tried to climb faster.

“Move!” General Piell said, pushing past Trapper and Holo.

Closing his eyes and reaching out one hand, he tapped into the Force and levitated Charr up and out of the passage, setting him next to Charr.

“Get me up!” Carver shouted, climbing the last meter or so and reaching a hand up to the others. His torso was up in the horizontal passage while his legs dangled over the void below.

Trapper and Charr both stepped forward and reached for him.

“I can’t –!”

And then the security door slid shut. Right onto Carver’s abdomen.

Trapper would never forget the crunch of bone and plastoid. Nor the horrifying, guttural noise of terror and absolute agony that erupted from Carver’s mouth as his midsection was crushed between the two slabs of durasteel. Trapper and Charr both scrambled backward as Carver spasmed in his death throws, his spine and intestines both having been all but reduced to dust and paste.

Wet choking noises emanated from inside Carver’s helmet. He was still alive in there.

_No. He’s dead. His brain just hasn’t realized that yet._

It was only a second or two before the clone went limp and the noises stopped. He slumped forward, his muscles relaxing as all vital functions ceased. Blood began to seep out from the cracks in Carver’s chest armor.

“Oh, shit!” Charr gasped, his eyes wide. “Holy _shit_!” He was an officer. He’d probably never seen anything like this in his life.

“Keep it together,” Deadeye hissed, pointing at him. “We don’t want to blow our position!”

“They’ve already boxed us in,” Holo said, looking anywhere but at the fresh corpse in front of them. “They have to know our rough position.”

“All the more reason to start moving as soon as possible,” said General Piell. With that, he ignited his lightsaber and started cutting a large circle into the hatch just above them; up towards Cody and General Kenobi.

Trapper looked over at Carver’s body. “What a horrible way to go . . .” He muttered, shaking his head. He hadn’t known the man very well, but he was still a brother in arms, and that was enough to make him sorry at his death.

“Bad business,” Deadeye agreed. “But we’re still here. We need to keep on. It’s even more important now that we’re down another man.”

He was right, of course. Trapper nodded, collecting himself as General Piell finished getting through to Kenobi. Slipstream offered the Jedi a hand and he allowed himself to be helped upward into the ventilation passage.

“We lost one,” Piell reported in his usual gruff tone. “Looks like we’ve got some cutting to do.”

* * *

Rex walked along beside Captain Tarkin, one blaster pistol at the ready just in case things suddenly got dicey. Fives, Echo, and the two former prisoners kept close behind him, with Skywalker somewhere watching their rear. Ahsoka led them through the passage, keeping an eye out for any enemies stationed ahead of them.

Rex kept a close eye on her. Just in case.

“Watching _just_ her back, there, Captain?” came Fives’ voice over the private helmet commlink.

“Shut up, Fives,” Rex said through gritted teeth.

“Hey, I’m just makin’ sure, _vod_ ,” Fives said, trying and failing to sound innocent. “What is it with you and her nowadays, anyway?”

“What do you mean?” Rex asked, deciding to play dumb. Fives and Echo had both been in the room when Rex and Ahsoka’s Force Bond came up. They knew about Rex wanting to cut ties.

“You know exactly what I mean,” Fives said. “You’re not buddy-buddy anymore. It’s putting everyone off.”

“What do you mean?”

Fives growled, and Rex glanced back to see him shaking his head in exasperation. “If you think the men haven’t noticed that something’s going on, you’re out of your goddamn mind.”

“Explain,” Rex ordered, turning his attention back to the front. Ahsoka was peering around a corner just ahead, holding up a hand for them all to stop.

“You don’t talk much,” Fives said, “you don’t hang out like you used to, and everyone knows the commander’s been down in the dumps lately. It doesn’t take a ship engineer to figure out that something’s gone wrong between you two.”

Rex gave a noncommittal grunt. He didn’t like it either. Especially not when he could quite literally feel Ahsoka’s confusion and hurt, but what the hell was he supposed to do? This had to stop. And the less emotionally involved they both were, the better. The _safer_.

“Whatever it is, you need to figure it out,” Fives said. “The kids don’t like it when mom and dad fight.”

Rex froze. Slowly, he turned around and looked Fives dead in his visor. “If I _ever_ ,” he said, “hear any of the men refer to Commander Tano as ‘mom’ or me as ‘dad,’ I will not only lose my mind but said trooper will have KP duty for a month.”

Fives chuckled and held his hands up innocently. “It’s just an expression, sir. No need to get on my case over it.”

“It’s clear,” Ahsoka said from the front. “Come on.”

Everyone continued walking.

“Doesn’t matter,” Rex said, gruffly. “I don’t wanna hear it.”

“Sir,” Echo said. “With respect, you need to stop being a _di’kut_.”

“What?”

“You need to get your head on straight, Rex,” Echo said. “You’re being an ass for no real reason at all.”

“You think this is what I want?” Rex hissed. “And I have a very good reason for distancing myself. You _know_ I do!”

“Sir, there has to be a better solution than pushing the Commander away,” Echo said. “She doesn’t deserve that. I think you’re overreacting to this whole situation.”

Rex almost rounded on him. “ _What_? Overreac –”

Tarkin cleared his throat, and Rex had no choice but to break off mid-sentence and listen to whatever crap he had to say so the man didn’t get suspicious.

“I am concerned,” the captain said, gesturing up toward Ahsoka, “that the Jedi have elected this _child_ to lead the group.”

Was Tarkin really trying to get _Rex_ of all people on his side? _Against_ Ahsoka? After seeing the man backtalk Skywalker and Kenobi, complain constantly, and question Jedi leadership, he didn’t exactly have a high opinion of him or his capabilities.

“I’ve served with her many times,” Rex said, switching his vocoder back on and doing his absolute best to keep his tone level. “And I _trust her_ , Captain.”

“Hm,” Tarkin said, and looked away from him. Apparently, he’d failed whatever intelligence test had been set out for him and was no longer worthy of attention.

That was fine with Rex, but it didn’t stop his free hand from curling into a fist.

“Uh-oh.”

_That_ got his attention.

Rex sped up, leaving Tarkin behind as he caught up with Ahsoka, who had just turned the next corner and was looking at the route ahead with some trepidation. _What is it? Trouble? Does she need help?_

It turned out to be nothing so immediate, but it still was going to be an issue.

“Dead end,” Rex muttered, shaking his head.

They were going off-plan once more.

Blaster fire suddenly erupted from the rear of the group.

“Look out!” Fives shouted.

Captain Tarkin, Ket, and Blink darted towards the dead end as Rex slipped into cover behind Fives. Echo pressed himself into the rock wall on the opposite side of the gorge, avoiding an arc of blaster fire that would’ve taken him out otherwise. Ahsoka ignited her lightsaber and stood between them all, deflecting bolts away from them.

A squad of super battle droids was advancing on them from the direction they’d come. Either a patrol had found them by chance, or they’d finally been located. Hopefully, it was just a patrol.

As Echo laid down covering fire, Rex and Fives focused fire on the first SBD, striking it and sending falling backward into the lava stream behind it. Then, Skywalker appeared, dropping in from above to slice through the next two droids without even blinking.

_Is that it?_

“More commando droids,” warned Echo pointing back down the passage. “They’ve got shields!”

_Of course not._

Another team of four commando droids was approaching, each holding an E-5 blaster in one hand and a glowing, hexagonal personal energy shield. Blasters weren’t going to punch through that.

“What happened?” Skywalker demanded, glancing back at Ahsoka as he backed up and deflected fire from the oncoming droids. “Why didn’t you blow the wall? That part of the plan was your job.”

“I thought it was a dead-end,” grunted Ahsoka, ducking and deactivating her lightsaber as she darted backward and came up behind Rex. _Stang, that’s right! I’ve got the explosives on me._

He felt hands grab as his pack, and he stopped firing his blasters and shifted to allow her to yank it off his back.

“If Master Plo _really_ assigned you to this mission,” Skywalker said, picking up the slack and working doubly hard to keep the droids away as Ahsoka ran for the wall, “he would have briefed you on the plan.”

Were they still on that?

It seemed pretty obvious to Rex that Ahsoka was just lying and that she definitely was not assigned to this mission by anyone, let alone General Koon. Maybe Skywalker was just driving that point home. Not that it really mattered. She was here now.

Would there be hell to pay later?

Maybe.

But right now, she was making herself damn useful.

Rex raised his blasters once more and began firing at the oncoming droids. He was looking for an opening. A lowered shield. An exposed foot. An arm joint just a _little_ exposed. Anything. But these were commando droids. They didn’t make mistakes easily. So he just had to keep at it and hope they had an escape route coming up in a second or two. Then, suddenly, Ahsoka was back. Just to Rex’s right, she stood holding two thermal detonators in her hands. Priming them, she crouched low to the ground and rolled the two cylindrical explosives forward; toward the wall of otherwise protected commando droids. They all paused and looked down. Shields weren’t going to protect against _that_.

“ _Cover_!” Fives shouted.

Rex threw himself to the ground and covered his head as two nearly simultaneous explosions rocked his world. One from in front, the other from behind. Slowly, he managed to pick himself up off the ground. Dust and bits of pulverized rock brushed against his armor.

Ahsoka was already standing and looking quite pleased with herself.

“Well,” said Fives, glancing between the destroyed droids and the huge hole in what was no longer a dead end, “that’s one way to solve a problem. Nice work, Commander.”

* * *

Obi-Wan and the others peered out of the grate in front of them, overlooking the landing pad.

“The shuttle’s here,” Cody said, “but there’s no sign of Artoo.”

No R2. No droids. Actually, the landing pad looked mostly empty.

“Something might have happened,” Obi-Wan surmised, stroking his beard thoughtfully. “We’ll have to make our way around to the other side and get a different view. This could be a trap.” They couldn’t afford to take any chances. Not when they were so close to their exit opportunity.

Master Piell nodded in agreement.

“How do you want to go about this, sir?” Cody asked.

“Here, wait,” said Trapper, rummaging around inside his backpack. After a moment or two, he came up with a grappling gun. “Rope launcher. We didn’t use it to break in, so I’ve still got this one. We can use it to repel down and circle the platform.”

“Excellent, Trapper,” Obi-Wan nodded. “Hold on a moment.” With that, he stretched out both his hands toward the grate. With a ‘thump’ it shot off its hinges as though propelled by an explosion, flying away from the Citadel and towards the lava far below. “Hand me the launcher.”

Cody passed it up to him. Obi-Wan took it and, after securing the hook inside the vent, backed out onto the side of the tower. Below him, he could see a platform running along the side of the building several meters down; a level below the landing pad. After giving the others a nod, he jumped away from the vent, allowing the grappling line to control his descent. After a few moments, he found himself on the platform below. It was narrow, but would clearly support all of them and allow them to find another way around to their objective.

Above, Cody peered out of the vent. Obi-Wan gave him a thumbs-up. One by one, Cody, the former prisoners, Deadeye, Trapper, and finally Master Piell all slid down the rope to land on the path behind Obi-Wan.

The group made their way across the platform before descending onto another pad protruding from the side of the Citadel just below the landing pad. Lined up there was a series of STAPs, just waiting to be taken. Perhaps – in a pinch – they’d be useful. Obi-Wan needed to get in contact with Anakin and figure out exactly what was going on.

As everyone gathered on the platform, Obi-Wan raised his wristcomm to his mouth. “Anakin?”

The voice that answered was _not_ his former apprentice. “I must commend you on your escape tactics,” said a rough voice. It sounded exactly the same as the one that had taunted them when they had been cornered before retrieving the officers and Captain Tarkin. “But in the end, it was easy to predict your every move.”

At that moment, a pair of turrets sprung out of the ground beside the door to their right. A crab droid appeared from a hatch in the wall behind them. The door opened and out came three destroyer droids and four commando droids with personal energy shields.

They’d been caught.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shadowplay - Joy Division
> 
> Back to your regularly scheduled carnage


	18. Vacant

**Command Center, Lola Sayu**

Obi-Wan, his wrists held together by binders and raised behind his head, was marched into what seemed to be the command center of the Citadel alongside Cody, Master Piell, Deadeye, Trapper, Holo, Slipstream, and Charr. They were lined up in front of the main door while a pair of commando droids stood guard on either side. The room before them was a mass of computers, monitors, data modules, and control panels. It was mostly looked after and operated by droids, but there was a single organic being there.

“Welcome back,” rasped the Phindian, turning toward them and marching across the room.

“I must say,” Obi-Wan said, “you’re not at all what I pictured. For someone with such a soft voice . . .”

The Phindian was eye-to-eye with him now. His yellow eyes were narrowed with anger and hatred. The rough, scaly skin around his protruding mouth pulled it down in a frown as he growled. He had no patience for jests, apparently.

“I want your half of the information,” he demanded, pacing in front of the group. So he knew about their little ruse. How unfortunate. “Give it to me _now_ , or I’ll start executing your men.”

“This is war, Sobeck,” Master Piell said. “We’re all prepared to die to protect that intel.”

_Perhaps, Master Piell. But that doesn’t mean we all have to. There has to be another way out of this._

Sobeck chuckled. He turned to one of the commando droids standing nearby and grabbed an E-5 blaster from its metal clutches. “Really?” he asked.

Then, he leveled the weapon directly in Deadeye’s face. The clone barely had time to gasp before Sobeck, not even looking at him, pulled the trigger. Obi-Wan flinched as the shot rang out. Deadeye slumped to the ground. A smoking hole now sat directly in the center of his visor. He scowled at Sobeck, who shrugged as if to say ‘I told you so.’

Then, he stepped forward and pointed the blaster right in Trapper’s face.

“Sir,” interrupted a tactical droid standing amidst a half circle of computers a meter away from the group, “we have located the other group, and our droids are closing in on them.”

At that, Sobeck tossed the blaster back to the commando droid and paced in front of them once more. “Your Jedi resolve only delays the inevitable,” he said. “Take them to interrogation. Torture them. Slowly.” The Phindian circled the computers and stood beside the tactical droid to get a better read on whatever data they were receiving.

The doors opened behind the two Jedi and five clones, and they were being prodded at gunpoint to get moving once more. With little other choice, Obi-Wan turned and marched out of the command center, following behind Master Piell as they were escorted out by a pair of battle droids with red security markings. As they moved from corridor to corridor, getting ever near the interrogation area, Obi-Wan did his best to think. He couldn’t see an easy way out of this. They didn’t have the numbers or the intel to brute-force a quick escape. Especially since they were being watched and tracked now. Any resistance would no doubt bring the most of the Citadel’s security crashing down upon their heads. All they could do was wait for an opportunity to arise. And hope that none of them died until it did.

He hoped Anakin and Ahsoka were having better luck than them. Apparently, they’d been located, but two Jedi – especially those two – along with Captain Rex and his ARC troopers could certainly handle a group of droids out in the open. He had faith in them. If all else failed, they could at least escape with half of the information, denying it to the Separatists even if the Republic never managed to recover the full coordinates.

A half victory was better than no victory at all.

They rounded another corner and suddenly came face-to-face with a familiar-looking trio of battle droids in blue paint.

“We’ll take them from here,” said the leader of the three, holding up one metal hand to stop the two security droids.

The group came to a halt.

One of the security droids raised a hand. “Uh, I think we have a –”

“We’ll handle it,” asserted the blue droid.

Everyone paused.

Then, the two red droids snapped to attention. “Yes, sir,” they said in unison.

Stepping aside, they waved the group of prisoners onward. Obi-Wan shared a quick glance with Master Piell, then led them forward. This was certainly a stroke of good fortune. And it would make escape a great deal less complicated. They continued down the hallway, now accompanied by the three reprogrammed battle droids. And where they were, Obi-Wan knew that R2-D2 couldn’t be far behind.

Almost the moment the thought entered his head, he heard a triumphant series of beeps erupt from just behind them. Turning he saw the little white and blue astromech rolling towards them.

 _And to think I almost had Anakin leave him behind once._ He’d never doubt the droid again.

“Good to see you, Artoo,” Obi-Wan said, kneeling before him. “I wondered where you’ve been.”

R2 beeped jovially.

“The Commander is pleased to see you as well, sir,” said the leader of the battle droids, “but would like to return to the shuttle as soon as possible.”

“Yes,” Obi-Wan nodded, “I couldn’t agree more.” He held out his hands and allowed R2-D2 to break apart his binders using his electro-probe. The droid made the rounds to each member of the group, freeing them from their cuffs.

“What about General Skywalker, sir?” asked Cody once everyone was freed and they were walking once more.

“Not to worry,” Obi-Wan assured him. “He’ll switch to plan B.”

* * *

As the group turned around yet another corner, Rex watched as Ahsoka jogged ahead of the group. After several meters, she crouched down and placed one hand on a circular, metal structure that completely blocked their way forward.

_Finally. The sooner we’re off this cramped ledge, the better._

“This pipe leads up to the top of the ridge,” General Skywalker said, pointing upwards, “where Artoo will pick us up and get us out of here.” Rex glanced up as well. Indeed, the pipe moved from the base of the lava all the way up to the top of the gorge. It probably led all the way back to the Citadel’s main building, though they hopefully didn’t need to follow it back _that_ far. They were almost out. “There’s the hatch.”

Skywalker jumped up onto a platform that ringed around the entire pipe about a meter off the ground and pulled himself up. In quick succession, he reached down and pulled up Ahsoka, Tarkin, Blink, Ket, Rex, Fives, and finally Echo. The group circled the pipe before reaching a large, circular hatch that was large enough to allow a person to step through. Skywalker grabbed onto the circular handle on the outside of the hatch and twisted before pulling the hatch open.

Instantly, he, Ahsoka and Tarkin all flinched, placing their fingers over their noses.

Rex took that as a sign to activate his helmet’s filters.

“Let’s go, let’s go!” Skywalker said, waving the others over. “Everyone in.” As Ahsoka crawled through, he turned to Rex, Fives, and Echo. “Don’t use your lights and make sure your weapons are locked. The slightest electronic pulse could ignite this whole tube.”

Rex made sure his DC-17s were secure in their holsters and flicked the safties on. He glanced back to see that Echo and Fives were doing the same with their carbines.

“I hope somebody tells the droids that,” Captain Tarkin commented as he climbed past Skywalker and into the pipe.

_He always has to open his kriffing mouth, doesn’t he?_

“Ugh, what’s that smell?” grumbled Ket, plugging his nose as Blink slipped past him and into the pipe.

Fives paused and cocked his head. He must’ve opened his helmet’s filters. “Fuel,” he said after a moment. “Tibanna gas, I think. A _lot_ of it.”

“Keep moving,” Rex prompted. “The less time we spend around something as explosive as this, the better. Don’t want the droids to catch up with us.”

“Yes, sir,” Ket nodded. Sucking what would probably be his last breath of fresh air for a while, the trooper shut his mouth and stepped into the pipe.

Rex followed him. Then Fives, and finally Echo, who shut the hatch behind them. That might buy them at least a little extra time. If the droids found them, they’d be in quite a bind.

He looked up. They were in a large – mostly empty – tube with several enclosed maintenance ladders leading up . . . and up . . . and up. It was going to be a long climb. At least they had actual handholds this time. Skywalker started climbing first, followed – naturally – by Tarkin. Ahsoka jumped onto the metal covering of the ladder and began climbing like a Kowakian monkey lizard. Rex shook his head. _Show off._

He made for the ladder and climbed up after Blink, with Ket and the two ARC troopers just behind him.

“You know,” Fives said over the private comm channel as they began scaling the long ladder, “we didn’t exactly finish our conversation from earlier.”

“What conversation?” Rex asked.

“Don’t play dumb with me, Captain,” Fives said. “I know you too well. The one about you and the _al’verd’ika_.”

_Not this_ again _._

“Not now, Fives,” Rex grunted. “We’re busy.”

“We’re just climbing a ladder,” Echo pointed out. “Doesn’t take much thought.”

“Agh, not you too.” Now both of them were on his case. “Can’t you just drop it? This isn’t your business.”

“With respect, sir,” Echo said, “it is our business. We might not officially be in the Five-Oh-First anymore, but it’s still our family. And Commander Tano is still our friend.”

Rex sighed. He got the feeling that no matter what, the two of them were _not_ going to let up on him.

“Listen,” he said, “this – this Force Bond thing. It can’t stand. I dunno why you two are on me about wanting to cut it off, but that’s just the way it’s gotta be. It’s dangerous. For both of us.”

“Sir,” Echo said. “Permission to speak freely?”

“Isn’t that what you’ve been doing this entire time?”

“He’s got a point,” Fives said. “Why stop now?”

Echo cleared his throat. “Captain,” he said. “I’m observant. I see a lot. I notice a lot. And I usually keep quiet about it. I figured for a long time that you and Commander Tano had some sort of connection. You two are – _were_ – practically inseparable. You were always in-sync. On the level. Always working and fighting in tandem. The boys loved that. Looked up to that. Appreciated how much the both of you cared for all of us. Now . . . things are different. You’re tense and up-tight and she’s out of it.”

Rex thought about that. Did the others notice? Could they tell that things were different?

“I . . .” he said, “I get that things are different. And it’s complicated right now. But it’s only for a little while. Things’ll go back to normal after the Commander figures out how to break this bond.”

“You really think so?” Fives asked.

“Yes,” Rex said. “Of course.”

“I dunno,” Fives said. “Kid’s pretty hurt. You of all people should know that. You think things’ll just go back to normal after you cut her out completely?”

“What’s the other option?” Rex asked. “Let this go on? I can’t do that. Clones aren’t allowed to be Force-sensitive, let alone have Force Bonds. It’s . . . preposterous. And if someone finds out . . .” Rex just _didn’t_ want to talk about it.

“Rex,” Echo said, “I’m not telling you what you should do. I’m just telling you that you have to fix things with Commander Tano. I know you both mean a lot to each other, and I don’t want this to break your friendship. You don’t get many chances to have a good friend like that in this war. Don’t throw it out over nothing.”

“I’m just trying to make things easier,” Rex maintained. This was for the best. That’s what he had to keep telling himself. “When it’s all over, I don’t want to hurt her by staying close and still breaking the bond. I feel like . . . I feel like that would be wrong.”

“It would be,” Fives agreed.

“But you need to figure out if you’re hurting her right now,” Echo said.

Rex stayed silent. The problem was this _wasn’t_ just nothing. This was playing with fire.

This was going to be the crux of the issue; Rex could feel it. He could choose to stay away and break the bond and . . . and . . . what if he lost Ahsoka? What if severing this connection they had – if that was even possible – cost him their relationship? what if Ahsoka thought that he wanted to distance himself forever because of how he was acting? That she made him uncomfortable because of the Bond? Or, if she couldn’t find a way to cut him loose, would he just act like this forever? Could he really live with that? What would the war be like – hell, what would his _life_ be like – if he didn’t have her?

_You got a taste of that on Mortis, you_ di’kut _. Remember?_

_The worst three minutes of my life._

He could never forget that.

But what was the other option? Keep this a secret? Acknowledge their Bond in private but keep it a secret from everyone else? Well, everyone besides Coric, Denal, Fives, and Echo, at least. Rex wasn’t sure he could do that. The risk involved if someone found out was just too great.

_So yes, I understand that this is a risk. But I’m not going to stop._

That wasn’t a fair comparison. Fox’s situation was far different to Rex’s.

_Riyo means as much to me as my job as the commander of the Coruscant Guard. Maybe more._

_Is it that different?_

Yes. It was. It had to be.

Rex’s thoughts were interrupted as he finally reached the top of the ladder. Pausing to resituate himself, he clambered out onto the grated floor around him. He waited to make sure that the others got up alright, then fell into step behind Blink as the group continued walking down a path beside a large, circular tube that took up most of the center of the pipe. Probably housing most of the actual fuel. Ahsoka leapt on top of the thing and jogged ahead, agile as a cat, scouting ahead for them.

“How much longer are we going to wander through this tunnel in the dark?” asked Captain Tarkin, one hand still covering his nose.

“Captain Tarkin, haven’t you learned to trust me by now?” General Skywalker asked, glancing back as he continued onward.

“ _You_ may have earned my trust, General Skywalker,” Tarkin said, “but my faith in your comrades is still lacking.

Skywalker frowned. “You lack faith in the Jedi,” he said.

“I find their tactics ineffective,” Tarkin said. “The Jedi Code prevents them from going far enough to achieve victory, to do whatever it takes to win. The very reason why peacekeepers should not be leading a war.”

He would think that, wouldn’t he? Rex had to respectfully disagree. Time and time again, the Jedi had proven themselves to be invaluable on the battlefront. The difference between winning and losing. And ineffective? Absolutely not. Skywalker’s plans nearly always led to victory, conventional or not. And the same could usually be said about Ahsoka and Kenobi. None of them had ever truly let Rex down.

Skywalker’s eyes narrowed as he turned to Tarkin once more.

“Have I . . . offended you?” the Captain asked.

Rex hoped so. At this point Tarkin had become such an annoyance that he personally hoped Skywalker was about to give him some much-needed comeuppance.

But he was wrong.

“No,” Skywalker said. “I’ve also found that we sometimes fall short of victory because of our methods.”

“Well, I see we agree on something.”

Strange.

* * *

Ahsoka stopped atop the tube she was standing on and waited for the others to catch up.

“I think I found a way out,” she called down to them. As Anakin looked up at her, she turned to him and jerked a thumb over her shoulder, indicating the ladder she’d spied just a few meters ahead. It appeared to lead up to a hatch out of the pipeline. “Want me to check it out?”

He nodded. “Do it. But be careful.”

“Aren’t I always?” Ahsoka winked at him, turned and bounded toward the ladder.

She’d be glad to get the hell out of this pipe. Her Togrutan nose was far more sensitive than the humans she was travelling with. If the fuel line smelled bad to them, it was oppressive to her. Plus, all these fumes couldn’t be good for them to breathe in for extended periods of time. Sighing, she climbed up the ladder and, upon reaching the top, opened the hatch that awaited her. Only a crack, though; just enough to allow her to peer around the surrounding area. Far ahead, she could see another pipeline rising out of that flat, rocky ground. Beyond that, the Citadel loomed high into the night sky, its spotlights still scanning the area. Still on alert.

“What do you see, Snips?” Anakin asked.

“The coast is clear,” she reported.

“Any sign of Obi-Wan and the shuttle?”

“No,” Ahsoka said, pushing the hatch all the way open, “I don’t see him or Artoo anywhere.”

That meant they’d hit a snag of some sort. Her lightsaber in one hand, she gripped the edge of the hole and began to drag herself out of the tube. Then, she heard the ‘click’ of a blaster being trained on her. Then another. Two battle droids appeared out of nowhere, both aiming at her.

_Well, that’s no good._

In a blur, she activated her ‘saber and jumped into the air, spinning to slice apart both droids before they could even move. A sudden eruption of blaster fire drew her attention, and Ahsoka turned to see at least a platoon of battle droids and crab droids marching toward her from the rocks. Apparently, they’d been hidden there, waiting. Which meant they’d been found out.

“We’ve gotta go!” Ahsoka shouted down into the tube. If one of the droids misfired, hit the pipe, and managed to break through, they’d all be going up in smoke.

“There could be a whole battalion of droids out there!” she heard Tarkin exclaim, as though the idea was preposterous.

“Better than hiding in a fuel line,” Anakin pointed out. With that, he quickly climbed the ladder and joined Ahsoka in deflecting blaster fire away from the others as they all exited the tube and ran for the rocks on the side that led both away from the droids and back towards the Citadel.

She kept track of everyone in her peripheral vision as best she could. Ket passed. Then Rex. Then Blink, Fives, and Echo. Finally, Tarkin crawled out of the hatch and slid down the side of the tube, running for cover with the others. Ahsoka blocked a last volley of shots, then ducked and jumped off as well, running after him. Anakin joined her after a moment, deactivating his lightsaber and covering next to Tarkin as he outran another few blaster bolts.

“The plan’s been compromised!” Tarkin shouted. “The shuttle’s not coming!”

As much as Ahsoka hated to admit it, he was right. They were certainly in deep shit. The droids knew they were here and Obi-Wan and Artoo were nowhere in sight. That didn’t bode well at all.

Anakin ignored it all. “Throw me a charge!” he demanded, holding out one hand.

Rex reached a hand into his belt and tossed him a thermal det.

Catching it, Anakin rolled out into the open and wound up for a throw. He paused for only half a second, then primed the grenade and sent it soaring towards the pipe. He didn’t even stay exposed long enough to see whether he’d gotten close to his intended target or not; just dove back into cover and placed both his hands over his ears as he crouched low to the group. Knowing what was about to happen, Ahsoka squeezed her eyes shut and clapped her hands over her montrals. This was nowhere near as effective as she often wished it was; having an entire growth around one’s head as their primary hearing organ was a pain from time to time.

Just as she’d expected the following explosion was so loud it almost took her breath away. Her teeth clattered together and she was momentarily deafened as the ground shook beneath her. She felt small rocks clatter against her as the huge boulder they had all hidden behind took the brunt of the blast. Even then she could feel both the heat and the resulting shockwave pass through her nervous system.

_Thump._

She opened her eyes and saw that the carcass of a crab droid had crashed to the ground a meter or two in front of her. Actually, she only saw about half of it past the large armored form that was practically lying on top of her.

“Let’s go,” Anakin said, hopping to his feet and dusting himself off. “Time for plan B.”

“There’s a plan B?” asked Tarkin.

“There’s always a backup plan,” Anakin told him, stepping over the crab droid’s wreckage. “We’ll meet Artoo at Obi-Wan’s position.

Slowly, Rex stood, stepping away from Ahsoka. “You good?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she said. “Thanks for the . . .” But he had already turned and started walking away. Ahsoka felt a sudden rush of anger. “It’s good to know you still _kind of_ care about me.”

Rex froze. His head jerked slightly, as though he was holding in an impulse to look back at her. One of his hands tightened into a fist. Then, he resumed walking, although it looked as though it took all of his willpower to get him to do so.

_Damn him._

One second, he was all over her trying to protect her and the next he’d just get up and walk away like nothing happened. Why couldn’t he just pick a side? She might – _might_ – be able to take him just shutting down and being distant. And she’d _certainly_ like if he was just as friendly and caring as usual. But him swinging between the two was something she absolutely hated. Was he her friend? Her comrade? Both? Neither?

She just didn’t understand.

* * *

The heavy door slid open, allowing the five clones, two Jedi, the astromech, and the three battle droids to emerge out onto the landing pad. Trapper glanced around, eyeing up the enemy’s defenses.

The shuttle sat out in the open, lit up by several huge spotlights and guarded by a pair of battle droids. Four huge blaster turrets manned by droids guarded the area; perched high on a wall surrounding the airfield. There were several large shipping containers around the area that could be used for cover if they needed, but Trapper hoped they’d be able to bluff their way onto the shuttle and take off without incident.

A slim hope, really, but they had to aim for _something_.

“Hold it,” ordered one of the two droids guarding the shuttle, stepping forward to stop their group just in front of it. “Where are you going with these prisoners?”

The lead reprogrammed battle droid took point. “We’re transferring them aboard the shuttle from Citadel to Point Tarron.”

“Point Tarron?” asked the other droid, cocking its head. “There’s no outpost there.”

_Shit. This isn’t going to work._

Trapper’s fist tightened as he readied himself for action. He saw Kenobi and Piell glance at one another, probably thinking along the same lines.

“Uh, it’s new,” said the lead reprogrammed droid, obviously coming up with something on the fly. Battle droids weren’t known for their superior logic programming. R2-D2 let out a firm warble. The droid glanced at the astromech, then focused on the other one. “We have orders. We’re coming aboard.”

The two droids guarding the shuttle glanced at one another, then stepped aside.

_No way . . ._

Trapper could hardly believe their luck. They were actually going to bluff their way onto the shuttle and out of the Citadel. The group walked for the entry ramp, and he felt some of the tension leave his system. They were so close he could almost taste escape.

Then something beeped.

“Wait,” ordered one of the guards, holding out his blaster to block General Kenobi as he set one foot on the ramp. Then, held one metal hand to the side of his head, as though receiving a transmission of some kind. Probably a comm.

_They know._

Kenobi appeared to be thinking along the same lines, because he used the Force to retrieve his lightsaber from one of their reprogrammed droids and ignited it, slicing one of the guards in half at the same moment that their lead droid shot the other one.

_Boom. Boom._

That was the sound of the heavy turrets shifting their aim and opening fire.

“Move!” Cody ordered, waving everyone on. “Get out of the open!”

Everyone scattered.

R2-D2 and two of his droids ran one way. Kenobi, Piell, and Slipstream took cover behind one of the huge shipping containers. Trapper, Cody, Holo, Charr, and the other reprogrammed battle droid darted behind another. As they ran, green blaster fire whizzed over their heads, striking the metal containers and the ground around them, but luckily not striking any of them.

“Take these,” the droid said, holding out the two backpacks it had been carrying. Cody took one sliding it over his shoulders and removing his DC-15 from inside. Trapper took the other and retrieved his own weapon as the droid readied it’s E5 blaster.

“We need to try and get an angle on those turrets,” Cody shouted. “Come on!” And he and the droid took off toward the other side of the container.

“You two stay here,” Trapper ordered, glancing at Holo and Charr. “And stay in cover!”

“Yes, sir!” Holo affirmed, nodding.

Trapped checked the charge on his weapon and darted along after Cody and the droid, who had just reached the end of the container. Pressing his back against the metal, Trapper took the lead, stepping in front of Cody and raising his weapon as he peered around the side of the container. He aimed up towards two of the cannon emplacements and fired a round or two. The droid moved out of cover to join him in firing.

Trapper only managed to ding the side of one of the turrets before it swiveled toward him and returned fire.

He jerked backwards, covering behind the container once more. The droid wasn’t so lucky, however. It took a round to its torso, instantly blowing it apart and sending what was left of it flying in several directions. Shrapnel bounced off of Trapper’s armor as he instinctually raised one hand to block his face.

“Shit!”

“You okay?” Cody demanded.

“Yeah,” Trapper nodded. “Yeah, I’m good.”

“We need a new plan,” Cody said, shaking his head. “Without help, we’re not getting past those guns.” The pair of them shifted to the other side of the container, rejoining Holo and Charr.

“What are we gonna do?” Charr asked, looking nervous. “We’re pinned down!” He was a naval officer; not someone who was used to being in the thick of a firefight.

“Look!” shouted Holo, pointing towards the main doors. “They’ve got reinforcements!”

Trapper chanced a glance around the edge of their cover to see for himself. Yes, reinforcements had indeed arrived. A squad of red-painted battle droids had arrived, accompanied by a trio of crab droids, all of which opened fire on their position, keeping them paralyzed.

_What’s that old saying? ‘Anything that can go wrong_ will _go wrong?’_

That seemed about right.

“I hate to be a pessimist,” Trapper said, crouching, “but if we don’t come up with something fast, we’re gonna get surrounded and captured again. If not just killed.”

“The Jedi’ll think of something,” Cody assured him, mirroring his stance. “We just have to hold tight and keep our heads down.”

Trapper certainly didn’t want to end up like that droid. “Yes, sir.”

At that moment, their own set of reinforcements arrived. The second group was racing across the landing area towards them, firing their blasters and swinging their lightsabers as they did so. They must’ve climbed over the wall that surrounded the area. Whatever it was, Trapper was more relieved than he could say that maybe – just maybe – they could all figure a way out of this one.

Most of the group diverted to General Kenobi’s position, but Fives, Echo, and the two prisoners – Ket and Blink – joined Trapper, Cody, and the officers. Fives immediately formed up on the edge of the crate, providing covering fire. The two prisoners joined their friends while Echo knelt beside Cody and Trapper.

“Commander,” Echo said, giving a respectful nod. “I see the situation has gone rather poorly on your end.”

“That’s putting it mildly,” Trapper muttered.

“Yeah, I’d say things are lookin’ pretty fucked,” Fives called, stepping backwards to avoid a blaster bolt that crashed into the container just beside his head. “Echo, get up here and help me with this!”

“Be right there!” Echo scrambled to his feet and reached into his belt, holstering his DC-15 and withdrawing several thermal detonators, which he quickly arranged and made ready to throw.

“We’re not finished yet, boys,” Cody said, rising and checking his weapon. “Stand to!”

* * *

Ahsoka slid into cover beside Obi-Wan and Master Piell.

“Sorry I’m late,” Anakin said, kneeling Obi-Wan’s other side.

“How nice of you to join us,” his former Master chided, causing Anakin to roll his eyes.

Ahsoka slipped around the two Jedi and peered around the side of the container, jerking back slightly to avoid a blaster bolt that whizzed past her nose. She surveyed the situation. A squad of battle droids and three crab droids had closed in around the _Stealthipede_ -class shuttle that was supposed to be their getaway vehicle. Four turrets were stationed around the upper wall, though Rex had managed to take out the gunner of one of them on the way in. That still left four turrets to deal with. And that kind of stopping power was something to be wary of.

“The ship is surrounded,” Ahsoka said, turning back toward the others. And they weren’t in an ideal position to push the droids back. Not a recipe for success.

“We need to launch a full forward assault and take that vessel!” Captain Tarkin asserted.

What? Was he crazy or just arrogant? If they marched out into that crossfire, who knew how many of them would be killed before they even reached the shuttle?

“We may have a bigger problem – those turrets,” Obi-Wan said. “If we don’t take them out, they will use them to destroy the shuttle and prevent our escape.”

“Which is precisely why we should get aboard that shuttle and use the weapons systems to decimate those droids!” Tarkin maintained.

“Whatever we’re gonna do,” Anakin said, standing, “we better do it fast.”

He gestured with his lightsaber towards the sky. Ahsoka followed his gaze to see a trio of STAPs zooming in towards them from their rear. They were already opening fire with their mounted blasters. _Oh, shit._

“Move!” Rex barked. “Get down!”

Ahsoka threw herself to the ground as the blaster fire smashed into surfaces all around them, sending crates flying and driving scorching holes into the metal of the floor and the containers. She heard the whine of engines overhead and knew that the STAPs had passed over them all, but she knew that they’d be back for another pass any moment. She needed to get moving.

She scrambled to her feet and drew her lightsaber as the other three Jedi did the same, standing ahead of Tarkin and the clones in order to keep them covered. Looking up into the cloudy night sky, Ahsoka picked out the three thin aerial platforms as they swooped in towards them, opening fire once more. Each of them swung their lightsabers, deflecting incoming blaster bolts away from both themselves and their allies. As the STAPs drew closer, Master Piell jumped up onto Anakin’s shoulders and used him as a launch pad, leaping up and slicing one of the battle droids off their vehicle, sending both the corpse and the driverless platform spinning to the ground.

Anakin, taking notes apparently, jumped into the air and flipped over the handlebars of a second STAP, kicking the driver off and assuming control of the vehicle himself. He soared off, circling the landing pad just as the droids had, looking to come around and get a better angle on the enemy.

_There he goes again: showing off._

* * *

Fives kept laying down cover fire as he felt Echo shift behind him, drawing back one arm and sending a thermal detonator flying forward. His aim was true; it landed just underneath one of the three crab droids and exploded, crushing the tinny and sending it flying into the air in a fiery explosion, undoubtedly killing it.

In his pheripheral vision, he saw Skywalker swoop overhead, riding upon a captured STAP with General Piell clinging to his back, using his lightsaber to deflect the blaster bolts of the other STAP that was chasing them. One bolt connected with the vehicle’s center, causing it to explode and spin off into the ground far away.

_We keep this up and we might take the pad back._

That was when the main door opened once more and a team of six commando droids with personal energy shields emerged, rushing forward and firing from behind their protective barricade.

“Shit!” Fives cursed pulling back as a blaster bolt whizzed past his shoulder.

“I got it!” Echo said. “Cover me!”

Nodding, Fives peered out once more, squeezing a few more shots off as Echo primed another grenade and sent it flying. It landed directly in the midst of the commando droids and went off. Shields flew, the ground shook, and droid parts went everywhere. He’d hit four of the clankers and killed three, dramatically leveling the playing field.

Or so Fives thought.

As he watched, the one commando that hadn’t been killed pushed its shield aside and sprung to its feet. It spun around and leapt up onto the top of the wall surrounding the landing pad. Fives took aim and fired a few shots its way, but it evaded him, twisting adjointly to dodge the blaster fire as it jumped into the gunner’s seat of one of the remaining turrets. It grabbed the shoulder of the battle droid that had been controlling it and tossed it aside, setting into the control seat itself. The turret started to shift its aim.

Fives went for his commlink, but Echo already had his raised to his mouth.

“General Skywalker,” he said, “a droid is manning one of those turrets. They’re gonna blow up the shuttle, sir!”

Fives darted back into cover and cast his gaze upward. Skywalker must’ve received the message, as he adjusted his trajectory and began heading straight for the turret operated by the commando droid. Seeing it had a new threat, the droid shifted the turret to focus on the Jedi, firing green bolts into the sky as the STAP carrying Skywalker and Piell drew closer, firing red bolts back at it.

One of the turret’s shots hit its mark, striking the body of the STAP and causing it to spin out, sending the two Jedi perched on it flying to the ground below as the wreckage skimmed harmlessly passed the turret, exploding into the bulkhead some five meters to one side. Skywalker and Piell picked themselves off the ground and darted back into cover as the turret tried to track them.

They weren’t going to get any help from the Jedi on this one.

“This is our only chance,” Echo said, shouldering forward. “We’ve got to stop him!” If they didn’t act while the droid was still recalibrating the turret to target the shuttle, they’d never get another chance.

“I’m with you,” Fives said.

“Let’s go!”

The two of them darted forward as one. Fives raised his carbine and started picking targets, doing his best to keep the droids from focusing on his brother. Echo knelt on the ground and picked up one of the personal shields that the commando droids had been using. Raising it, he poked the end of his DC-15 through the translucent membrane of energy and fired it as he rushed toward the shuttle, taking aim at the commando manning the turret. But as he got closer to their goal, the turret only focused more on him.

“Echo, look out!” Fives warned, pausing.

The green blaster bolts missed Echo by feet each time, smashing into the ground around him as he sprinted for the ship. Fives doubted that shield would protect him from a direct hit. _He’s got to be careful!_ But they were in a desperate situation. Risks had to be taken. Echo jumped up onto the ramp of the shuttle, taking a moment to blast one of the droids that was standing too close before focusing on the turret once more.

As Echo laid down more fire, the blaster bolts drew closer and closer to the ship. All too quickly, they made contact with the hull.

And the ensuing explosion rocked Fives world.

His HUD registered the immense discharge of heat, flashing up red warning lights on either side of his eyes. The sound buffers kicked in and all he heard was a muffled ‘whump’ as he was thrown backward onto the ground with an impact that nearly knocked all the breath from his lungs. Dimly he registered that the others had all been caught in the shockwave and thrown to the ground as well, but he was barely aware of that.

Fives scrambled to his feet. “ _Echo_!” he shouted, so loudly that he could’ve sworn he’d just about ripped open his vocal cords.

Blaster bolts still whizzed past him, but the turret was no longer firing. Debris from the explosion had shot upwards, totally wrecking the gun emplacement. The shuttle was a smoking crater of scorch marks, fire, and twisted durasteel. There was nothing to salvage. No escape vehicle. No Echo. All Fives saw was his brother’s helmet – blackened and cracked and missing half of its rangefinder – laying on its side a few meters from the sight of the explosion.

_That’s probably the biggest piece of him left_.

The thought came unbidden.

_No, no! He’s got to be alive. He_ has _to be!_

But he couldn’t be. Wait . . . that didn’t make sense.

“We have to go _now_ ,” General Kenobi ordered.

The others all began slipping past him. Retreating. Fives knew he should be doing the same but he just . . . couldn’t. He was held in place; rooted to the spot by . . . what? Loss? Anguish? Horror? He took a slow step backwards, but that was all.

“Fives,” said a far-off voice. “Fives!” Someone was tugging on one of his gauntlets. He looked down to see Ahsoka standing just behind him, pulling him backward. There were tears in her eyes. “We have to go! I’m sorry, but . . . but we have to go.”

Fives sucked in a sudden breath. _We’ll die if we stay._ That didn’t make what he had to do any easier. As though he’d come out of a sudden trance, he shook his head and ran for cover, Ahsoka still clinging to his hand. As they ran, she gave it tight squeeze. A reassurance that she felt his pain and understood his feelings.

It was a hollow comfort.

But it was a comfort nonetheless.

* * *

Rex hope that, if nothing else, Echo’s death had bought them the time they needed to get away.

The droids now had to deal with whatever casualties the explosion had caused. Not to mention that they had an active fire in the middle of their landing pad. Hopefully that would be enough of a distraction that the group would get away and find a place to hide before they were noticed and chased after.

_Lives for time. It’s always lives for time._

There was always a price. And it was never cheap. Fives surely knew that better than any of them now.

He hadn’t said a word as they ran across the hard, rocky terrain away from the Citadel. They’d gone up over the outer wall again and were now running in the opposite direction that Rex and the others had used to gain entry to the pad the first time around. Ahsoka still had a grip on Fives’ hand, leading him on as though she were afraid that if she let go, he’d fall and wouldn’t get up. Maybe that actually was the case.

Just ahead of Rex, General Kenobi activated his wristcomm and held it to his mouth. After a moment or two, the voice of General Koon reached Rex’s ears.

“Master Kenobi,” he said, “what has happened?”

“I’m afraid we’ve had a . . . situation with the shuttle,” Kenobi reported.

_That’s putting it lightly._

“By ‘situation’ he means ‘big explosion,’” Skywalker cut in, activating his own comm. “We’re gonna need a rescue.”

“It will be done. I’m sending our cruisers now.”

At least there was a backup plan. Help was on the way. All they had to do now was get to an extraction point and lay low until the opportunity for evac presented itself. They weren’t dead in the water quite yet. Even if it felt that way.

Trapper, who ran slightly ahead of the group to conduct some recon, paused and waved everyone over to him. He was standing at the slim entrance to what seemed to be a cave system. The crevasse was just wide enough to allow clones in full armor to slip through. Even Fives with his backpack should be able to fit.

“In here!” the clone called. “This cave leads away from the building.”

They all changed direction, stepping over potholes and jagged protuberances in the ground to reach him before – one-by-one – stepping through the crack. They emerged into a fairly spacious, rocky cave. To the left was only the rock wall, and to the right there were a few narrow openings that let the night sky and the glow from the lava far below through to permeate the interior. Peering through the holes, Rex could get a good view of the Citadel looming in the distance. Ahead was a rocky path that led deeper into the cave and further from the prison.

“Hold up, everyone,” Kenobi said, drawing everyone to a halt. “We need to regroup. Plan our next moves.” Rex couldn’t agree more. They were all surely running on empty by this point. Things only seemed to be getting harder the closer they got to their end goal of escape. Morale had definitely taken a pretty big hit with the death of Echo and the destruction of the shuttle.

Everyone clustered around the Jedi. Fives finally released Ahsoka and climbed up near one of the openings in the rock, lowering his rangefinder and scanning the surrounding skies. Even while grieving, the man’s ARC trooper training was sill kicking in; telling him to secure the area before any time of rest was allowed.

He was a good soldier.

Rex watched on, his arms folded. Ahsoka, now freed of tagging along with Fives, made to walk past Rex and toward the others. He caught her shoulder.

“Hey,” he said. “Are you . . . are you okay?”

She bit her lip for a second. Then her expression hardened. Rex felt tension creep up his neck. “I’m fine,” she said, shortly, shrugging out of his grasp.

“Hey!” Rex said, a little taken aback. “I’m just trying to –”

“ _What_?” Ahsoka demanded, rounding on him. She looked furious; her eyes narrowed and her fangs bared. White-hot anger radiated from her; and it felt like a slap in the face. “Trying to what? Check up on me? Make sure I’m okay? Echo is _dead_ , Rex. How would I be okay with that? And what do you care, anyway? You don’t act like my friend anymore and you don’t want to be around me more than you have to! Stop messing with my head! Make up your mind, Rex. What’s it gonna be?”

Rex stood there for a second, shocked. Was this what Fives and Echo had been talking about? “I . . .” he stuttered. “I-I’m, er . . .”

She didn’t give him a chance to collect himself. She turned her back on him and stalked back toward the rest of the group, her fists clenched tightly together. But Rex could see her shoulders shake slightly. She was crying again, he knew. _Felt_.

“You see, Captain?” said a rough voice.

Rex turned to see Fives staring down at him. “Listen,” he said, even though he had no idea what he was going to say, “I’m –”

“We’re clear, by the way,” Fives said, his voice flat. He gave Rex a thumbs up.

Sighing, Rex shook his head and turned back toward the others. Walking across the ground, he surveyed the situation. Ahsoka knelt next to Blink, checking in on him. General Piell leaned against R2-D2 in front of his reprogrammed battle droids on a small rise so that he was at eyelevel with Kenobi, Skywalker, and Tarkin as they thought about what their next move was. The other freed prisoners were clustered together. Trapper and Cody kept a lookout ahead of them, checking for any enemies in case this was another trap.

“We’ll need to hold out until the Council sends a ship,” Kenobi said.

“Not a problem,” General Piell said. “We’ve beat them once; we’ll beat them again.”

_Maybe. But five of us are dead. How many will be left next time?_

“This landscape is almost impossible to cross,” said a voice. Rex turned back to see Fives stepping down from his perch. “How are we going to get to the rendezvous point?”

“That,” Kenobi mused, stroking his beard, “is the trap of the Citadel. It was designed so it would be almost impossible for fugitives to get off the surface even if they escaped the tower.”

“How lucky we’re not just any fugitives,” Skywalker said.

“I hope you’re right,” Piell said.

They all did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vacant- The Last of Us Soundtrack Vol. 2
> 
> al'verd'ika - little commander
> 
> Things are not going very well for anyone.
> 
> There's an odd visual error in the episode: when Ahsoka climbs out of the pipe and fights the battle droids, Echo's character model is swapped for ARC Trooper Colt for some reason.


	19. Girl Afraid

**Caves, Lola Sayu**

Ahsoka trekked along behind Anakin as they made their way through the rough cave system. The ground was jagged and uneven, with plenty of potholes filled with some kind of hot gas and fissures that contained bright, slow-flowing lava that bubbled and gurgled as moved. Any small misstep could mean death. So she paid attention.

What else was she going to do?

Echo was dead. _Echo._ How had that happened? How had they let that happen?

Rex didn’t want to talk to her. Didn’t want to be around her.

This mission was going to hell.

“We’re clear!” called Rex from the front of the group, where he and Fives were patrolling.

Trapper and Cody were watching their rear, while the rest of the group stayed in the middle. The prisoners – Ket, Blink, Holo, Slipstream, and Charr – were all wielding appropriated E-5s, along with R2-D2’s two remaining reprogrammed battle droids. Tarkin – _the idiot_ – hadn’t managed to grab a weapon in the last firefight, meaning he was depending on the clones and Jedi to protect him. As usual.

“What’s our next move?” Ahsoka asked as everyone grouped up. They were clear, which meant they could afford to rest for a moment. They were currently getting as far away as they could from the Citadel, but they needed a goal. _Ahsoka_ needed a goal. Anything to keep her from dwelling on just how hopeless both their and her own situation was becoming.

“We’re gonna have to fight our way off this rock,” Anakin said, turning.

“Contact the Council,” Obi-Wan said. “See when they plan to rescue us.”

“I’ll handle it,” Master Piell offered. He stood in front of R2 as the astromech rolled over to him. After a moment, the little droid beeped and began projecting a hologram in front of the group.

“Master Piell,” said Mace Windu, actually smiling, “it’s good to see you alive, my friend.”

“Likewise, Master Windu,” said Master Piell, nodding. “Our escape route has been compromised, and there are several squads of droids closing in on us.” They knew they were being tracked. The Citadel wasn’t going to give them up that easily. It was only a matter of time before the enemy closed in once again.

“When can we expect your arrival?” Anakin – never one for patience – asked, stepping into view of the holographic Master Windu.

“Master Plo is already en route,” said Windu as Master Yoda stepped into frame.

“Gunships will arrive to evacuate you and your men,” the little green Jedi Master told them, “but do not delay. Only a small window of opportunity shall we have.” The two Jedi disappeared. In their place was projected a huge map of the surrounding terrain. It shifted to point out a large, circular pit full of lava. In the center of the pit was a lone rocky island. “Your rendezvous point will be this island.”

“Understood,” Master Piell nodded.

“May the Force be with you,” said Master Windu. Then, the hologram flickered and disappeared.

It looked like they had their work cut out for them. But, then again, when didn’t they? Ahsoka had known this was going to be a tough assignment, but she’d decided to come along anyway. She could handle it. She had to.

Suddenly, blaster fire erupted from behind her.

“Incoming!” Cody shouted.

Ahsoka spun around, one hand going automatically to her lightsaber. She drew it, ready to defend and deflect. A trio of commando droids was sprinting across the rugged landscape of the cave, opening fire with their blasters. The leader took a round to the faceplate – shot by Cody – and fell, tumbling into one of the rivers of lava that cut through the ground and began to sink. Rex and Fives, who had rushed back to assist their brothers, opened fire with their dual DC-17s, covering the others as they retreated toward the Jedi. With one hand, Fives holstered his pistol and drew a thermal detonator. Still firing with his other sidearm, he primed the grenade with his free hand and threw it at the two oncoming droids. It hit the ground at their feet and exploded as Fives clumsily dove across another lava river to safety.

The smoke cleared, revealing two torn apart droids. The blaster fire ceased.

Rex reached down a hand and helped Fives to his feet. The other clone accepted the help, allowing himself to be pulled up. Ahsoka realized he’d been using the same strategy he and Echo had been pulling off. One of them provided cover fire while the other lobbed thermal detonators. This time, however, he’d been forced to fill both roles himself.

“No doubt there’s more on the way,” Obi-Wan speculated, deactivating his lightsaber and clipping it to his belt. “We have to keep on the move.”

“The sooner we get out of this cave, the better,” Trapper muttered as he walked past, switching out the cartridge of his DC-15.

“Don’t like caves much?” Ahsoka asked, falling into step beside him. She didn’t want to be around Rex. And the feeling was mutual, anyway.

“Not since Geonosis, no.”

Ahsoka remembered the brain worms and shivered. “Understandable.”

* * *

Rex pulled up short as the group reached a sheer vertical drop-off. They’d only just exited the cave system; finding themselves on a flat plane in front of another high cliff to their right. Their next step was descending into this gorge. Apparently, it led to yet another cave that would lead them further towards the rendezvous point.

He leaned over the edge beside Skywalker and Ahsoka, wondering just how far the drop would be if they fell.

Then he heard the all-to-familiar ‘chunk-chunk’ of battle droids. He spun to the right, only to see crab droids appearing from crevasses in the cliff face. He drew his blasters and took aim, only to have bolts whizz just over his head from behind. A squad of regular battle droids had appeared on the path they had just used to reach the drop-off.

“They’re boxing us in!” Ahsoka warned.

“Lock in your cables,” Skywalker ordered, reaching into his belt and drawing a grapple-launcher. He and Kenobi both fired their lines into the rocky ground, their backs to the edge. “Artoo – we need your droids to hold off the enemy as long as possible.”

R2 beeped in the affirmative.

“Good,” Skywalker nodded. “Everybody follow me!”

“Come on, come on!” Rex shouted waving the others to hurry up. They were going to have to focus on evasion rather than making a stand; they were just too exposed.

Trapper reached him first. “Sir, the prisoners don’t have cables,” he said.

“We’ll have to carry them,” Rex said. There was nothing else for it. As much as he didn’t want to climb down the cliff face first with a load of dead weight on his back, he was just going to have to grit his teeth and do it. The life of a clone.

Mutely, Trapper nodded, undoubtedly choosing not to voice his own doubts.

“This is sheer madness!” complained Tarkin, as he was forced to climb onto Skywalker’s back.

As Skywalker and Kenobi started down the cliff – escorting Tarkin and Slipstream respectively – Rex, Ahsoka, Trapper, Cody, and Fives began to secure their lines as everyone divided up the prisoners while simultaneously attempting to slow the droids down. Ahsoka and General Piell backed toward the edge while deflecting blaster fire with their lightsabers. R2-D2 relayed a last set of orders to his two remaining droids, who stood their ground and kept up a steady stream of cover-fire. Cody leapt onto a crab droid that had gotten to close and poured blaster fire into its head while Fives threw a thermal det at the oncoming droids. Rex and Trapper were a bit preoccupied, as they had both taken on Holo and Ket and were walking over the edge.

Rex suddenly found himself hanging almost literally by a thread as he stood horizontally on the cliff and stared down at the ground that was so far below.

_Don’t think about it. Don’t worry about the weight being too much or the droids closing in or the long fall that awaits you if something goes wrong. Just start walking. Just like Skywalker and Kenobi._

_It’ll be fine._

So, he started moving. With everything that he was blocking out, the only things he was aware of were his boots hitting the rocks beneath them, the weight of gravity pulling both him and Holo down to earth, and his muscles straining as he did his best to keep them locked around his brother’s legs at his sides as his arms gripped at Rex’s chestplate. He could hear Holo’s short, scared breaths.

“Keep moving!” Kenobi urged.

“Don’t like – heights?” Rex muttered, trying to distract himself.

“Can’t say I do, sir,” the other clone replied, his voice tight. “No depth-perception in space. Don’t have to worry about it.”

“We’ll be – fine,” Rex said, trying to convince himself as well. “We’re nearly – halfway now.”

He spun his helmet’s 360-degree camera around behind him. Trapper and Ket were only a meter behind him. Cody and Fives had gone over the edge with Charr and Blink. Ahsoka was too small to be carrying any clone on her back and therefore was jogging along behind Rex and to his right, her hands clenched into tight fists and her teeth digging into her lower lip. Someone – probably Cody – must have brought a spare grapple line, as General Piell was running down the cliff attached to his own cable; just as unburdened as Ahsoka. R2-D2 appeared over the ledge above them and rolled off, quickly igniting his arm-mounted thrusters as he executed a controlled descent.

Rex refocused his vision with a few blinks. They were close. Less than ten meters now; it had to be.

There was the sudden sound of a line snapping, followed by two panicked screams.

Rex jerked his head up to see two bodies falling towards him. Instinctively he jerked to his left, ducking his head as best he could, only to see Trapper and Ket tumbling helplessly toward the ground past him.

_Shit. No!_

Both men hit the ground. Trapper was flat on his face, but Ket landed awkwardly – in a strange, unnatural position.

Skywalker and Tarkin reached the bottom first, followed closely by Kenobi and Slipstream. Rex, Holo, and Ahsoka were next. The moment his boots touched the ground and he was free of his tether, Rex knelt beside the two fallen clones to check for signs of life. He really shouldn’t have bothered with Ket. The poor _vod_ ’s mouth was hanging open as blood trickled out of it and his eyes were frozen and wide. His neck was twisted at an impossible angle. But Rex tried anyway. Nothing. Almost as soon as Rex had shaken his head, essentially announcing to the others that he was gone, Tarkin appeared beside him and bent down to retrieved the fallen man’s stolen E-5 blaster.

There was a sudden cough off to the right.

“I – I’m still here, ma’am. Not dead – yet.”

Rex looked over to see Trapper slowly pushing himself onto his hands and knees, helped by Ahsoka. He was undoubtedly lucky to have survived a fall like that, and he’d need to be evaluated as soon as they were safe to figure out what injuries he had sustained. But they weren’t safe right now.

“Watch out – they’re above us!” shouted Charr, pointing up toward the top of the cliff.

Rex followed his gaze. A squad of commando droids had shown up and were peering over the edge down at them. Even as he watched, they all raised their blasters and began raining fire down on them.

“Keep moving, keep moving!” Skywalker shouted, beckoning them all onward. He drew his lightsaber and stepped toward the cliff, deflecting some of the blaster bolts that came his way as the others filled past him, heading toward what appeared to be a hole in the ground just a few meters away.

Rex didn’t have much choice but to leave Ket where he lay and run for cover, ducking as red bolts flew past his head and falling into line just behind Fives as he and Ahsoka slipped through the hole and into the cavern below; away from danger.

For now.

* * *

Ahsoka watched on as Obi-Wan gave the ‘all-clear’ signal and waved them all forward. One by one, the group slipped out of the cave and onto level ground again, making sure to give the river of lava to their left as wide a berth as possible. No one wanted to slip and go for a swim. They were still being hunted, but their pursuers seemed to have lost their trail for the moment.

As they began their trek through new territory, Tarkin opened his mouth to comment. Again.

“What if your Jedi friends are not there when we arrive?” he asked. He said the word ‘Jedi’ as though it were toxic.

“Keep moving and you won’t have to worry about that, Tarkin,” commented Master Piell.

Ahsoka smirked. It seemed that even the Captain’s General had a finite amount of patience when it came to him and his never-ceasing lack of faith in the Jedi. She cast a quick look behind her only to see Tarkin’s mouth become a thin line and his eyes narrowing. She turned back to the front and rolled her eyes. She really was getting sick of him and his attitude.

As they scaled a short, slippery slope, she glanced over at Anakin.

“Why did Master Piell have to share half the intel with _that_ guy?” she asked in a lowered voice. “It’s like he’s not even grateful we rescued him.”

Anakin sighed. “Captain Tarkin feels the Jedi should be . . . ‘relieved’ from the burden of leading the war effort.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Ahsoka said dismissively.

If they weren’t the ones leading the charge, who would? Jedi might be ‘keepers of the peace,’ but surely no one could deny that they were effective on the battlefield as well. Besides, now that she was so involved, Ahsoka didn’t think she could duck out of the war even if the Jedi really _were_ sidelined. There were so many people that needed help because of the war, and who knew how many clones would die because Jedi weren’t around to help?

“Maybe,” Anakin shrugged, “but we aren’t soldiers. We’re peacekeepers. The Jedi Code often prevents us from going far enough to achieve victory.”

“A rather simple point of view,” Obi-Wan commented from just ahead, turning to look back.

“Either way,” Anakin said, shooting him a look, “he is a good captain.”

An eerie sound brought the group up short. A long, high note punctuated by some kind of whistle. It was a howl. The howl of a predator.

“Did you hear that?” Ahsoka asked, one hand going to her lightsaber. She looked around, but nothing was upon them. Just jagged rocks and more lava.

“Yes,” Master Piell said, frowning. “We’re going to have company.”

“Meaning?” Obi-Wan asked as they continued walking.

“Anoobas,” the shorter Jedi Master replied. “They use them for tracking and security here. As well as intimidation. No doubt we’ll have several on our trail sooner rather than later.”

“Oh, great,” said Trapper, who was limping along behind Ahsoka and beside Cody.

Ahsoka glanced back at him. “You doing okay, Trapper?” she asked.

“I’ll make it.”

“Don’t strain yourself, _vod’ika_ ,” Cody said. “If we weren’t in as dire of a situation as we are, I’d declare you unfit for combat.”

“Believe me, Commander,” Trapper said, “I agree with you on that one.”

While they didn’t have any actual combat medics with them on this mission, Fives’ ARC trooper training had included some basic field medic courses. He’d taken a look at Trapper while they had been in the caves. The poor clone had a few fractured ribs, a concussion, general wear-and-tear, and a broken left forearm. He was pretty beat up.

“We’re almost out,” Ahsoka assured him. “We just need to get to the rendezvous point and meet up with the rescue team.” Undoubtedly it wouldn’t be that simple, but there was always hope, wasn’t there?

The group kept on moving across the hellish landscape, eventually coming to a low overhang leading them around another corner that led up to a higher elevation.

“You know, it’s not wise to argue with Master Piell,” Anakin said, chuckling and glancing over at Captain Tarkin, who had unfortunately shifted to walk closer to the Jedi. He always seemed to end up treading near Anakin. Why? Ahsoka wasn’t quite sure, but she doubted it was a coincidence, especially since he was the only Jedi who could really stand him. “It’s certainly not a good career move.”

“General Skywalker,” Tarkin said in his usual superior voice, “I stand by my principles. No matter what. Besides, I needn’t worry about my career. I’ve fallen into favor with the Chancellor.” They clambered up over a ledge and continued onward. “ _He_ shall support me.”

“Oh?” Anakin said, raising an eyebrow. “I happen to know the Chancellor quite well, myself.”

“Oh, really?” Tarkin asked, as though his opinion of Anakin had risen just from him saying that.

“Really.”

“Let’s keep moving,” Obi-Wan said, motioning them onwards. “If we’re not at the rendezvous at the exact time, we’ll miss our window.”

Then, the howls rang out again. Louder this time. Closer.

“Those creatures are gaining,” Fives said from the back of the group.

“If they’ve caught our scent,” said Master Piell, turning and drawing the group to a halt, “they’ll lead the droids right to us.”

“We’re gonna have to deal with them,” Anakin asserted.

Ahsoka glanced around. Taking on a bunch of trained security Anoobas that had their scent without some kind of advantage sounded like a bad idea if they all wanted to get out of this one in one piece. “What about using this cave to surprise them?” she asked, jerking her thumb behind her. To her back was an offshoot of the path they were currently on. There was no telling how deep it was, but as long as it was dense or large enough to hide a few of them, it could be helpful.

“If we can get them to pass by, we can attack them from behind,” Master Piell said. “But we need a distraction.”

“Leave that to me,” Anakin said. As usual.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat, smirking.

“And Obi-Wan, of course,” Anakin amended.

“Okay,” Master Piell nodded. “The rest of you – follow me.”

As Anakin, Obi-Wan, and R2-D2 split off and kept on in the direction they had already been going, Ahsoka followed Master Piell and the others into the cave. Well, ‘cave’ was a relative term. It was mostly a collection of twisted rock pillars and varying levels of terrain, punctuated by more streams of hot, brightly glowing lava. But it hid them, so that was good enough for her.

There was nothing to do but keep out of sight of the main path and wait.

It didn’t take long.

The five Anoobas soon came bounding over the ridge that they had passed a few minutes ago. The creatures were covered in gray fur with black striping. It had wicked-looking black claws on the end of its muscled legs. Each had a long tail with a black tuft of hair on the end. Attached to their heads were long, spacious ears that no doubt picked up plenty of sounds. Their snouts were lined with many long, sharp teeth, as well as a single huge tooth on the very tip of their lower jaws.

They were certainly deadly creatures.

But they passed the caves without another glance, apparently hot on the scent trail that Anakin and Obi-Wan had left. As they passed, Ahsoka spied a squadron of five commando droids on STAPs fly by above the lava on the other side of the path, closely following the Anoobas.

Master Piell and Cody crept up beside her, watching their enemies pass by as well.

“Looks like we’re clear,” Cody muttered. “Better get moving while we still can. There could be more.”

“Agreed,” Master Piell nodded. “Let’s move.”

He, Ahsoka, Cody, Rex, Trapper, Fives, Charr, Holo, Blink, Slipstream, and Tarkin all moved out of the cave and back onto the main path, running as fast as they could in the direction the Anoobas and commando droids had already taken. Hopefully, Anakin and Obi-Wan could deal with them by the time they had caught up.

That’s when she heard mechanical clanking and the sounds of metal claws biting into the rocky ground. She and Master Piell turned as one to see a crab droid climb over the ledge beside them and attack the back of the group. Before anyone could do anything, the droid knocked Blink to the ground while the other opened fire on Charr, who fell to the ground with several smoking holes in his chest. Dead.

As the crab droid turned its attention to the downed Blink, Master Piell rushed forward, igniting his lightsaber and severing on of the legs of the crab droid that killed Charr. He flipped over its body and landed right in front of its head before driving his weapon deep into its central eye, causing it to crackle with electricity and spasm before deactivating.

It was a short-lived victory. A moment later, three more crab droids climbed over the edge and began positioning themselves for combat.

“Keep going!” ordered Master Piell, removing his lightsaber from the dead crab droid and turning to face the other two. “Ahsoka and I will take care of the droids.”

Good. Because she wouldn’t have left even if he’d ordered her to.

As the crab droids circled her and Master Piell, she drew her lightsaber and dropped into a defensive stance. Over the tops of the clankers’ heads, she saw Fives, Trapper, Cody, Rex, Blink, Holo, Slipstream, and Tarkin turn and continue on the path. They passed out of sight within only a few seconds; safe for the moment.

Ahsoka drew her shoto just as one of the droids charged her, attempting to ram into her and knock her off balance. But she was too quick for it. She rolled to one side and was already on her feet and ready as a second droid opened up on her with blaster fire. She batted the bolts aside as Master Piell darted behind her to engage the crab droid that had tried to ram her. The droid in front of her backed away, and she knew that the only reason for that could be that something was approaching her from behind.

Spinning around, Ahsoka saw the third crab droid had positioned itself behind her at the top of a small slope, clearly thinking it was going to catch her off-guard. But she was too smart for it. It fired at her, but she deflected the bolts as she rushed at it, launching herself off the ground. It was unable to track her as she flipped through the air and landed atop its vulnerable head. The droid couldn’t do a thing to stop her as she drove both her shoto and her main lightsaber into its head.

She heard a grunt and looked up. Master Piell had already dispatched both the other crab droids. The Lannik Jedi had been standing over the wreckage of the second crab droid when an Anooba had leapt out of nowhere and tackled him to the ground.

“Master Piell!” Ahsoka shouted, and she jumped up and raced toward him.

As she was running, the Anooba grabbed the struggling Jedi by the throat with its terrifying jaws and lifted him up into the air before slamming him down onto the ground once more. It jerked its head from side to side, dragging Master Piell with it.

As Ahsoka drew closer, she swung her lightsabers in a circular manner, driving the creature backward. Even as it drew back, growling, it crouched. Ahsoka knew it was going to spring at her again. Deactivating her blades, she clipped her ‘sabers to her belt and reached out with the Force. As the Anooba jumped her, its jaws open, she raised one of her hands and _pushed_. With a yelp, the creature went sailing back over the incline, undoubtedly landing in the lava river on the other side.

Immediately, she knelt down beside Master Piell, who was lying flat on his back – unmoving. Blood seeped from deep wounds in the sides of his neck and he was covered with abrasions and scratches from the canine’s attack. He didn’t look good.

“I have to get help,” Ahsoka said, scrambling to her feet.

“No!” Master Piell groaned, his eyes shooting open as he reached out to her. “Don’t leave.” She couldn’t say no to that. He was clearly dying. Even if Ahsoka went for help, she didn’t think any of them would be able to save him. Those neck wounds looked bad. She placed one hand on his chest, which he grasped. “Listen to me carefully, child. The information . . . I need you to deliver it back to the Council.”

Guilt suddenly gnawed at Ahsoka’s chest. “I . . . should find Anakin or Obi-Wan,” she said, looking away. “They need to hear this.”

“No,” Master Piell croaked, insistent. “You must listen.”

“But I wasn’t assigned to the team,” Ahsoka admitted, biting her lip. What did it matter? It’s not like he was going to report her at this point. “I lied just so I could be a part of the mission.” At first, this had seemed a minor detail. But now it didn’t feel right.

“Whether you were meant to be on this mission or not,” Master Piell said, closing his eyes momentarily as Ahsoka supported his head, “you are now the most important part of it. Remember this . . . and see to it that the information I’m about to give you is revealed to _no one_ but the Jedi Council.”

Why was that part so important? So that not too many people knew the info? Or was there some other reason?

Ahsoka took a deep breath. “Okay,” she said.

Closing her eyes, she leaned her head down and set her montrals near Master Piell’s mouth so he could whisper his half of the Nexus Route coordinates. She _needed_ to remember them. She had to get this right. Had to be useful.

* * *

Rex and Cody led the group down the path and toward the sounds of combat ahead of them. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he _hated_ leaving Ahsoka to the crab droids. And Master Piell too. But the Jedi was right – the prisoners needed protection. Besides, the main focus of the attack was on Skywalker and Kenobi. They needed backup more.

So Rex did as he was ordered.

He ran over the rocky terrain as they traveled through an area filled with smoke from something volcanic nearby. Ahead, Rex could see red blaster bolts flying through the air, as well as two stationary pillars of blue energy that were Skywalker’s and Kenobi’s lightsabers. As they drew nearer, the fog dissipated and the scene resolved itself. The two Jedi had already engaged the Anoobas – even killing most of them – as well as the commando droids on STAPs that circled them like metal birds of prey.

“Go, go!” Rex barked. “Open fire!”

Cody, Fives, Blink, and Slipstream split off and took position beside a large rock, using it as cover as they took aim at the STAPs. Slipstream was leveraging one of Fives’ DC-17s while he used the other one. Rex and Trapper hustled off toward a patch of particularly jagged rocks. Rex drew both his sidearms and began firing up into the air with Trapper backing him up, wielding his DC-15 carbine with his good arm while keeping the broken one close to his chest.

One of Rex’s bolts hit home, shooting past the body of the commando droid piloting a STAP and hitting the vehicle’s controls instead, causing an explosion and loss of control that sent it spinning through the air. Only a moment later, it flew toward the ground, hitting and exploding some distance behind Skywalker, who had just finished dodging fire from the same enemy.

One of the surviving Anoobas jumped at him a moment later, but Rex was distracted by a sudden cry of pain off to his left. His head jerked around to see. Captain Tarkin picking himself up off the ground and firing at the commando droids. Nearby lay the body of Holo with several blaster marks in his back. The clone must’ve pushed the superior officer out of the way and taken the hit himself.

_Damn it!_

They were supposed to be rescuing these men, but they were dying with alarming frequency.

Rex looked back toward Skywalker only to see that he had dispatched the Anooba that had tackled him. Kenobi, meanwhile, had taken out two more of the STAPs in a matter of seconds and was now standing on a rocky pillar overlooking another river of lava. He’d just tossed the final Anooba over the edge and was standing surveying the scene.

Combined fire from Cody, Fives, and Blink brought down the final commando droid, which flew into a nearby rock and exploded, just like all the others.

“So much for the hunting party,” Cody commented, straightening and turning back toward the group.

“There are more squads on their way,” Captain Tarkin reminded them all, brushing his uniform off.

Would it have been too much to ask for those blaster bolts to have hit Tarkin rather than Holo?

_Yes. Because then we wouldn’t have the damn information._

To many of his brothers had died to protect that information. It was quickly losing its value in Rex’s eyes.

“Oh, no,” said General Kenobi softly, looking off back the way they had come.

Rex followed his gaze. Through the smoke behind the group walked a short, solitary figure. Though something was . . . wrong about it. It took Rex a second or two to realize that it was one being carrying another over their shoulder. Ahsoka. Carrying General Piell’s lifeless body.

_Oh._

_Oh shit._

It was all for nothing. The other half of the information was gone. They’d come all this way, lost all those clones. Lost _Echo_. For _nothing_.

Ahsoka said nothing as she walked up to General Skywalker, the entire group crowding around her. Skywalker reached down and gently helped her lay the battered body on the ground. His eyes were closed. Dried blood covered his neck.

“He died honorably,” Ahsoka almost whispered, still crouched over General Piell’s body.

“What about the information?” Skywalker asked, standing. He knew just as well as Rex did that if the coordinates were lost with Piell, then this whole operation was a waste of time and lives.

“I have it.” Ahsoka said the words that liberated Rex. That sent even the smallest ember of hope shooting into his heart. They still had a chance. “He told me just before he died.”

Rex saw Tarkin’s lips tighten into a thin line.

Distaste. Distrust. Disapproval.

Rex’s hand tightened into a fist.

Cody’s hand gripped his bracer. “Don’t do it,” he hissed over the private comm channel. “Not worth it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Girl Afraid - The Smiths (a song very relevant to the plot at the moment)
> 
> Did y'all think I was gonna kill Trapper?  
> Hell no!
> 
> Another little glitch in this episode: R2-D2 has three droids when the gang goes over the cliff, despite one being shot down on the landing pad. Also, Cody picks up a fallen man's DC-15 rifle, despite one not being present in the group's arsenal at any point prior to this.


	20. Reflections

**Wilderness, Lola Sayu**

Fives watched on as Skywalker and Kenobi finished wrapping the dead body of General Piell in a makeshift sheet made from torn-up robes. Tarkin stood near the Jedi. Why? Fives wasn’t sure. Maybe he just wanted to watch his General get tossed into the river of lava that they all stood near. At this point, he was willing to believe that of the man.

Fives didn’t trust him.

The rest of the group stood in a small line, watching on. There weren’t that many of them left. R2-D2, Trapper, Cody, Ahsoka, Rex, Blink, Fives, and Slipstream. Their party had once been much larger. But that seemed like a long time ago now, even though it had only been a few hours.

“We don’t have much time,” said General Kenobi, standing over the small body. Fives had to admit it was an eerie sight; without being able to see any of the deceased’s features, the corpse wrapped in cloth looked almost like a child. “Let’s take this moment to honor him, then we must move on. He would have wanted us to complete our mission.”

Together, he and Skywalker reached out their hands and focused. Before them, the body of General Piell rose a meter or so into the air. It floated there unaided for a moment before levitating out over the river of lava before them all. Then, the two Jedi lowered the corpse into the river, where it was engulfed in flame as it slowly floated away toward the lavafall not far downstream.

Piell’s body was slowly disintegrated. Engulfed.

“It’s not your fault, kid,” muttered Cody, gently nudging Ahsoka’s shoulder. The girl was still staring somberly into the flames, even after General Piell’s body had already disappeared. “You did what you could.”

Fives glanced at Rex, who was supposedly staring after the corpse as well. But Fives knew better. The Captain’s arms were folded over his chest and his body was angled toward Ahsoka even though his head was turned toward the lava. If he wasn’t leveraging his helmet’s 360-degree camera to keep an eye on the Padawan, then Fives was a longneck in disguise.

“You should say something,” Fives told him over the private comm channel.

Rex actually started a bit but didn’t move. Didn’t give any outward sign that he was talking to someone. “Not now,” he sighed. “Can we not do this now?”

“If not now, then when?” Fives demanded. “If you hadn’t noticed, there’s a good chance we’re not making it to this extraction point.”

“We must keep moving,” said General Kenobi, snapping everyone out of their somber stupor. “No doubt the droids will investigate our last-known position and try to figure out where we’ll head next. We must keep ahead of them.”

As the group reorganized themselves and set out once more, Fives fell into step beside Rex, who was walking just behind Cody, Ahsoka, and Trapper.

“You shouldn’t talk like that, Fives,” Rex said, privately. “It’s not productive.”

“I’m just saying what’s on my mind,” Fives countered. “Unlike you.”

“I don’t think saying what’s on my mind is going to help or change the situation right now,” Rex said, shaking his head slightly. “I just need to keep my mouth shut and wait. This’ll all blow over soon.”

“Yeah,” Fives said, scornfully. “You keep telling yourself that banthashit.”

Rex growled. “ARC trooper Fives,” he said. “You are treading a very dangerous line.”

“This conversation certainly isn’t on the record,” Fives countered, “so there’s no way you’re gonna discipline me because of it. And, with respect, you are no longer officially my CO.” The Captain was quiet for several moments. Fives knew he had the upper hand. “Don’t run away from your problems, Rex.”

“I’m _not_.”

“I hope so.”

* * *

They were walking across a flatland, now. In the middle of some sort of desolate, rocky valley.

Rex had switched off his comms. Probably not the most sensible thing to do in a scenario that involved them being as deep in enemy territory as they were, but he’d had enough of Fives needling him over his situation with Ahsoka. He was tired of it. Just wanted it to be over and done with. Wanted to move on. If Ahsoka didn’t want him to be around, then fine. He would keep his distance.

But Fives didn’t seem to want to let him.

Why did he keep pushing Rex to talk to her? Him and Echo. Just him, now.

After this whole fiasco was over, maybe Rex _would_ talk with Ahsoka. Figure things out. Get her to understand his position. Why this whole Force Bond thing just couldn’t continue. Maybe . . . maybe then things would be okay. Be a little more normal. He could only hope. First, they had to get out of this mess, though.

“There’s the extraction point,” General Kenobi piped up, drawing the group to a halt. Pointing ahead, he indicated the rocky island in the middle of the lake of lava that suddenly stretched out before them.

_We’re almost out._

_Almost out._

Immediately, Skywalker and Cody darted forward. Both men raised line-launchers and stood on rocky crags that jutted out from the flat plane of land they were standing on out over the lava ahead. After taking a moment to aim, they shot the grappling lines out over the lake. The sharp heads attached to the end of the cables bit into the rock of the island and held, allowing Skywalker and Cody to clip their ends of the line into the protrusions that they stood on. Now, there was a pair of cables leading from their side of the lava all the way to the island. They weren’t going to have much choice but to slowly shimmy across the cables above the lava towards safety.

“Er,” said Blink, eyeing the lines warily, “are you sure about this, sirs?”

“There’s nothing else for it, I’m afraid,” said General Kenobi regretfully. “It’s precarious, but it will save time.”

“Sir,” Trapper said, catching Skywalker’s attention. “I don’t think I’ll be able to make it in my condition.” He patted his arm and his chest. “Maybe I should just stay behind and keep watch for you all.”

“Not happening,” said Skywalker, emphatically. “Ahsoka and I can use the Force to lift you across lava before we head over. Right, Snips?”

“Right,” Ahsoka nodded. “We’re not leaving you behind, Trapper.”

“Speaking of heading over,” Cody put in. “What order are we crossing in?”

“We have to keep the information separate,” said Kenobi, stroking his beard. “Just in case. Rex, you shall cross first with Captain Tarkin. Slipstream and Fives will go next. Anakin and Ahsoka can lift Trapper over as Blink crosses. Cody and Ahsoka will go. Anakin and I will go last, and Artoo can fly across as he sees fit.”

It was a sound strategy, even if Rex didn’t like being paired with Tarkin of all people. He still had to protect the information if nothing else.

So, without comment, Rex stepped up to the jagged rocks that the cables were attached to as Tarkin did the same. Gripping the line as tightly as he could, he slipped out onto it; over the hot lava only a couple of meters below. The cable sagged alarmingly – sending his heart momentarily racing – but it held. Calming down, he hooked one of his feet over around the line, using his hands and his free leg to slowly drag himself forward. Inch by inch.

It was a strenuous journey, and Rex’s already tired muscles screamed in protest the entire way. Climbing up a cliff, running from droids, sidestepping treacherous lava streams, climbing up a fuel line, more running, more fighting, and now this. The whole trip had been full of things that’d cause anyone to drop from fatigue. But clones and Jedi were made of stronger stuff. Whether that was from special powers or genetic engineering. So Rex kept at it.

Finally, his hands touched rock and he managed to pull himself from the cable and onto the island. Glancing over, he saw Captain Tarkin was just struggling to set foot on solid ground. Reluctantly, Rex bent down and helped the man off the line and onto his feet. Across the lake, Fives and Slipstream were in the middle of completing their crossing.

“Thank you, Captain,” Tarkin said as Rex released him. He turned back toward the others and folded his arms, giving that trademark superior look of his. “You don’t suppose they could hurry it up over there? The droids could be on us at any moment.”

“I’m . . . sure they’re doing their best, sir,” Rex managed, gritting his teeth and trying his best not to sound as annoyed as he was. If he had said ‘shut up you useless piece of rankweed, if you weren’t vital to this mission, I’d let you die to make sure everyone else here got back safe,’ he’d probably face serious disciplinary action.

Fives and Slipstream manage to cross relatively quickly. Ahsoka and General Skywalker managed to lift Trapper over the lava as Blink shimmied across the cable. Cody and Ahsoka were just starting to make the journey across when a chill ran down Rex’s spine.

_Fuck._

_I know what that means._

With a few rapid blinks, Rex kicked up his helmet’s external audio pickup and began running threat assessment scans. Several red warning lights flicked on, accompanied by the whine of STAP drives coming from behind them. He pointed, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Incoming!” he shouted, drawing one of his DC-17s with his free hand as he backed away from the edge of the island.

Several squads of commando droids on STAPs were closing in on them. Riding upon the lead vehicle, however, was an organic being. An ugly-looking Phindian with a wicked grin and eyes that tracked the Republic forces hungrily.

“Look what I’ve found!” he shouted tauntingly. His voice was raspy and low, and Rex recognized it. It was the same one that had issued from the speakers inside the Citadel. This must be the prison warden; Sobeck, Rex thought his name was.

As the STAPs opened fire, so the Republic forces moved into defense mode. Tarkin stepped back and went for cover, drawing his E-5 and sighting up. Fives, Slipstream Trapper did the same, while Rex took half a second to help Blink up onto stable ground, drawing his second pistol and taking aim at the approaching enemy aerial platforms. Ahsoka and Cody quickened their pace; the two of them were way too exposed while out over the lava and if they didn’t make it across soon, they’d be picked off. On the other side of the lake, Skywalker and Kenobi drew their lightsabers and began deflecting blaster fire.

Together, Rex and Blink brought one of the commando droids down. Skywalker and Kenobi each leapt onto STAPs, killing the pilots and commandeering the vehicles, using them as a quick route over to the island. Just as Cody and Ahsoka reached solid ground, R2-D2 used his arm-mounted thrusters to jet across as well, spewing a cloud of thick smoke from a fire hose located in his main chassis.

Sobeck flew directly through the cloud and, his vision suddenly obscured, swerved toward the island. Rex took aim but Fives beat him to it. In three quick shots, he managed to hit the control panel of the Philian’s STAP, causing it to spark and the vehicle to shake. Grunting, Sobeck was thrown off and landed in a heap not far from the ARC trooper and Captain Tarkin.

He struggled to rise.

* * *

Ahsoka scrambled onto the island alongside Cody and took a quick moment to collect herself. When those STAPs had shown up, she thought she and the Commander were going to be picked off immediately. Luckily, the others had stepped in and provided cover fire for them, along with wreaking havoc on the enemy, which had allowed them to finish their crossing unbothered.

As blaster fire and shouting raged around her, she sprang to her feet, drawing her lightsabers and making ready to get back into the fight.

Off to her left, she saw Fives and Rex aiming just above them and firing their blaster pistols. A split-second later, and the Phinian – Sobeck – came tumbling out of the air and landing in a heap on the ground not far from the two clones and Captain Tarkin. Tarkin instantly stepped forward, turning his blaster on Sobeck and firing.

But – unexpectedly – the Separatist charged the human, taking a glancing shot to the shoulder in the process and letting out a howl of pain. But he kept coming. In a heartbeat, he closed the distance between himself and Tarkin. Springing up, he knocked the blaster from the human’s hands and grabbed him violently by the shoulders. Lifting him high into the air, he slammed him back onto the ground, his scaley hands going to the man’s neck.

“If I can’t have the information,” Sobeck bellowed, lifting Tarkin into the air once more and stepping toward the edge of the island, “it will die with you!”

He was going to throw Tarkin into the lava.

“Captain!” Ahsoka shouted.

She didn’t pause to think about what she was doing. She just did. The information had to be protected. And she couldn’t let this Separatist kill the man like that, even if she didn’t like him.

As Sobeck was rearing back to toss Tarkin into the unfathomably hot lake, Ahsoka darted forward, one hand going to her shoto. She tapped into the Force, crossing meters of distance in only a few seconds. With all her focus on protecting Tarkin and keeping the information safe, Ahsoka press the hilt of her weapon against the Phinian’s back and ignited it, sending the blade straight up through his chest.

Sobeck yelled and spasmed, falling backward toward Ahsoka and releasing Captain Tarkin, who rolled to the side and away from the lava. The weight of the now-dead warden hit Ahsoka, and it pushed her back onto the ground. Shock coursed through her as she realized what she had done. She had killed. _Actually_ killed.

Killed an organic being. Not a droid.

She’d . . . she’d never done that before . . .

Ahsoka slipped out from underneath the heavy body and took a step back, her shoto deactivating as it slipped from her grasp and clattered onto the rocky ground.

“Agh,” Tarkin said, massaging his right wrist, “my thanks, Padawan Tano.” He glanced at Anakin, who had shown up with Obi-Wan in two. Ahsoka only then noticed that the blaster fire had ceased. For the moment. “I see you’ve trained her well.” And he walked off.

_Oh shit . . . Fuck!_

“The rescue ship should be here by now,” Obi-Wan said, looking around.

“So should the rest of the Separatist Army,” Anakin pointed out.

_What did I do? I . . . I –_

“Hey, kid,” said a soft voice behind her.

Starting, Ahsoka gasped and turned around. Fives was standing behind her, his head cocked slightly and concern radiating out from him through the Force.

“I-I . . . I’m . . .” Ahsoka tried to speak.

Fives’ head shifted slightly, peering behind her. She knew he was looking at the dead body of Sobeck. The corpse she’d created.

“Oh,” he said, nodding slightly as if something only just made sense. “That your first organic kill?”

Unable to say the words, Ahsoka just nodded.

“Look,” Fives said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “It’ll –”

But at that moment, a lovely sound reached the group's ears. Gunship drives.

As one, they all looked up to see a group of ships appear through the smoke above and descend toward the island they were all positioned on; one gunship accompanied by three Jedi Delta interceptors. None of them landed; there was no time for that. Instead, they hovered in a circle a meter or so above the ground. The blast shields on the side of the gunship opened, revealing Master Plo, Commander Wolffe, and Comet standing inside, waiting for them.

“I believe you’ve worn out your welcome,” Master Plo called, extending a hand down toward them.

“Look out!” Trapper called.

_What now? What_ now _?_

More crab droids were appearing from all around them, seemingly climbing out of the lava itself as they swarmed the island and encircled the group.

“Get to the transports!” Rex bellowed, pausing to pick up something on the ground before dashing toward the waiting escape vehicle. “Go!”

Ahsoka wasn’t able to move instantly, so – without asking – Fives grabbed her by the arms and dragged her toward the ship at breakneck speed, practically carrying her as he ducked blaster fire. In a flurry of red and blue blaster fire, blazing lightsabers, and running feet, everyone managed to board the gunship in less than a few seconds.

“This everyone?” Wolffe asked, looking around. He had expected more.

“This is all of us,” Obi-Wan nodded.

“That’s it!” Comet shouted, pounding on the bulkhead near the cockpit. “Warthog, get us out of here!”

“You got it!” replied the pilot.

The blast doors sealed themselves as the gunship soared up into the air, presumably followed by the three Jedi interceptors. As they gained altitude, Master Plo raised his wristcomm to his mouth.

“Admiral Koburn,” he said, “we have the survivors. Recall all fighters.”

“Yes, General.”

Outside, Ahsoka could hear the sounds of space combat raging on. Every now and then, the gunship shook slightly, buffeted by debris or an explosion. They weren’t out of this yet. They could still be blown apart just before they reached the ship.

They were _so close_ . . .

It seemed as though everyone in the gunship’s troop bay was holding their breath. Waiting. No one spoke.

Then, finally, Ahsoka felt the transport shift as it came in for a landing. Her hands, which had tightened into tense fists, slowly released as she took in a deep, steadying breath.

“We’re all ready, Admiral,” reported Master Plo.

They were back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reflections- The Neighbourhood
> 
> I realized while watching that Sobeck was Ahsoka's first direct kill that was an organic being (Geonosians don't count lol; those things are creepy bugs and don't speak Galactic Basic, so they're easier to pretend they're not sentient), so I decided to make it a plot point.
> 
> Gonna be some interesting fallout from this.
> 
> Also, Slipstream, Blink, and Trapper all lived so that's nice


	21. If I Didn't Have You

**Hangar of Republic cruiser, hyperspace**

The bay doors of the gunship slipped open and everyone disembarked. Rex was left momentarily unsure of what he should do. His hand slipped down and patted the lightsaber he’d clipped to his belt. Ahsoka’s shoto. She’d dropped it after killing Sobeck. She’d need it back. And she’d . . . probably need some help. She wasn’t looking so good. The Togruta was walking away from the gunship and toward the hallway leading out of the hangar; head down, arms clasped tightly to her chest.

But there was someone else who needed help.

Fives stalked away from the ship in the opposite direction, his hands clenched tightly into fists and his posture ramrod straight. He was surely still processing Echo’s loss. He needed support too.

“Hey.” Rex turned to see Cody standing nearby, helping the wounded Trapper down from the gunship and onto the hangar floor. “You gonna be alright?”

“What?” Rex asked, cocking his head. “Yeah, yeah. I’m fine.”

“You almost snapped on Captain Tarkin a couple of times there,” Cody pointed out. “I wouldn’t say that’s nothing.”

“Can you blame him?” Trapper asked, accepting Cody’s help and allowing the Commander to drape his uninjured arm over his shoulders. “The guy’s a _di’kut_.”

“I don’t much like him myself,” Cody admitted, “but I can still show a little restraint.”

Rex sighed, shrugging. “It’s . . . been a rough week.”

“We’ll have to talk about it later,” Cody said. “I need to get Trapper over to medical. Just . . . keep it under control, okay? Do you still have something to fight for?”

The words caught Rex off-guard.

“I . . . er . . .” He paused. “Yes,” he said. “Yes, I do.”

“Good,” Cody nodded. And he started leading Trapper away. “Keep it that way, alright?”

Rex was so busy staring after Cody that he didn’t notice someone else’s approach.

“Rex,” said Wolffe, stepping out of the troop bay and onto the durasteel floor beside him as he took off his helmet, “what the hell happened down there? Half of your group is a wreck.”

Blink and Slipstream, the only two remaining prisoners aside from Tarkin, were naturally a little worse for wear after being held captive by the Separatists at the Citadel. Captain Tarkin himself had been thrown around by Sobeck and nearly tossed into the lava. Trapper was pretty banged up and would absolutely need to be checked out by a medic as soon as possible. Fives and Ahsoka were displaying obvious signs of stress.

They needed to be checked up on.

_Fives or Ahsoka?_

_Ahsoka or Fives?_

_Who am I going after?_

Rex’s hand went to the ‘saber at his belt . . . and then he hesitated. “It, er . . . Things went a bit sideways,” he said, snapping out of it.

“That sounds like an understatement,” Wolffe said, folding his arms.

“You don’t know the half of it,” Rex said. “Can I explain later? I need to check on some of the team.”

“Sure.”

Rex went for Fives.

He could find Ahsoka later. He knew he had the ability to do so. Wherever she was going.

Rex followed the other clone as he stalked across the hangar, momentarily disappearing into a door leading into an exit hallway. He went in after him.

“Fives,” Rex said. Fives didn’t stop. “Fives!”

The man rounded on Rex, tearing off his helmet. “What?” he demanded, looking as though he was ready to get into a fistfight.

“I just –” Rex pulled up short, taking a step backward so that he was out of punching range. “I wanted to make sure that you were holding up alright.”

“Did you?” Fives asked scornfully, shaking his head. “Well –”

The door behind them slid open. Rex turned around to see Joc and Toomer standing in the outer corridor. It only took one look at the two older clones’ faces to see that they were very much not welcome.

“Ah,” Joc said, pressing the door control. “We’ll come back later, then.”

And they were alone again.

“No, Rex,” Fives said. “I am not fine. We lost Charger and . . . and Echo. Both in one mission. They’re gone. And all to rescue a Jedi that ended up dying anyway, _Captain Tarkin_ ,” he said the name is if it were poisonous, “and a bunch of prisoners who mostly died as well. And all for what? Some hyperspace coordinates.”

“Important hyperspace coordinates,” Rex pointed out. “That we couldn’t let fall into Separatist hands. And we still managed to rescue Blink and Slipstream.”

“Tell that to Charger,” Fives said. “And Longshot. And Deadeye, and Carver, and Echo.”

“They . . . they knew the risks.”

“Do you even hear yourself?” Fives asked, shaking his head. “How do you do it, Rex? How do you justify all this for hyperspace coordinates of all things?”

“I don’t,” Rex admitted. “Not really.”

“That’s what I thought,” Fives said. “So tell me – and give me the _real_ answer this time – what do you fight for?”

Rex felt his jaw tighten. “I . . . I . . .” Should he just say it? At this point, Fives deserved to know the truth. He’d just lost Echo – his _ori’vod_. He didn’t deserve to be lied to. Even if Rex didn’t tell the truth, he’d probably know anyway. “I tell myself I’m fighting for Ahsoka. For her future. And the futures of everyone like her.”

“Oh,” Fives said, his eyebrows knitted together. Then, he seemed to realize something. “ _Oh_. . .” Under different circumstances, Rex figured he would have had a drastically different reaction to that news. “How did that happen?”

“After Orto Plutonia,” Rex said. “You remember that?”

“How could I forget?”

“Well,” Rex explained, taking a deep breath, “I was talking with her and Senator Chuchi. Said I didn’t feel right about being forced to fight the Talz on the say-so of Chairman Cho. That I didn’t like going out there and fighting for no real reason. She, er . . . she suggested that maybe I should try and thinking about fighting for her and . . . I guess that’s what I’ve been doing.”

“Even right now?” Fives asked.

“Even right now.”

“You’re making a mistake, Rex,” Fives warned. “And I hope you stop yourself. If that’s how much she means to you, you can’t be treating her the way you’ve been treating her lately.”

Rex sagged. “This again?” He was too tired for this. He’d spent the past day or so in a state of tension, adrenaline-fueled action, and absolute terror. He didn’t have the energy to deal with this discussion for the nth time.

“Just . . . Just think about it, alright?” Fives offered. He looked away from Rex. “If . . . If you have someone you care about . . . You need to keep them close, right? They could . . .” he cleared his throat. “They could be gone at any second in this war.”

He was thinking about Echo.

Rex frowned. Fives was right. He knew that. But it was . . . it was hard to admit.

“I’ll . . . I’ll try,” Rex said.

“Try fast,” Fives told him. “You should talk to her, _vod_. I think she’s had it pretty rough. She killed Sobeck to save Tarkin.”

“I saw.”

As far as Rex knew, Ahsoka had never killed a sentient being before. It was certainly different than blasting a tinny. Rex had done it before, but then again, he and the other clones had been trained and conditioned to resist most combat stresses. The enemy was the enemy; droid or sentient. But it was different for the Jedi, who were brought up to be peacekeepers. Sure, Jedi killed biological beings, but there was still rough first time for everything. And Ahsoka didn’t seem to be handling it all that well. Even if Sobeck had it coming.

“You go check in on that _jetti_ , Rex,” Fives said, waving him off.

“What about you?” Rex asked. He wasn’t just going to leave his brother to wallow in his own sadness to check in on Ahsoka and have an undoubtedly awkward, tense conversation.

“You’re stalling,” Fives accused. “Look, I’ll be fine. I just . . . I need some time to myself. Think things over. Maybe I’ll go see Coric. Get checked out.”

“If you say so, _vod_ ,” Rex said. “Just check in with me later. I might not be your CO anymore, but you’re still my brother in arms. I want to know that you’re fit for field duty.”

He turned to go.

“Rex,” Fives said. He glanced back. “Thanks for . . . thanks for talking. And listening to me.”

“Of course, _vod_ ,” Rex said. “Anytime you need anything. At all. You come to me. Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Fives nodded, clearing his throat. “Now get going.”

Reluctantly, Rex nodded and left Fives to his thoughts. Stepping back out into the hangar, he saw that Joc and Toomer were still hanging about just outside the door.

“What?” Rex demanded, perhaps a little harsher than he meant.

Joc held up his hands. “I just wanted to know how the mission went. You guys got the intel, right? Why’s everyone looking so down?”

“Yeah,” Rex said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Yeah, we got the intel. But Cody lost everyone but Trapper, who’s pretty banged up. We lost Charger and . . . and Echo.”

“Shit,” Joc muttered, taking a small step back. “Echo? And Charger too? God, that’s . . . shit . . .” He shook his head.

“Maybe we should go and talk to Fives,” Toomer offered. He made to step past Rex and into the hall he’d just vacated, but Rex caught his shoulder.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said warningly, setting the kid back a few paces. “He just wants to be left alone right now. Just give him some space. He’ll come back when he feels like it . . . eventually.”

“The Captain’s right,” Joc nodded. “Time alone sometimes helps. He just needs to grieve.” He turned his attention to Rex. “Where’re you headed off to?”

“I . . . need to talk to Commander Tano,” Rex said. “She had a bit of a rough time on this one.”

“You two finally gonna make up?” Joc asked, cocking his head.

Rex let out a warning growl and Joc once again held up his hands in surrender.

“Just asking, _vod_ ,” he said. “It’s only been a week and we’re all getting sick of it. I –”

“Keep talking, and you get KP for the next two weeks,” Rex said, scowling. “Just . . . get out of here.”

“Yes, sir,” Joc shrugged. “Come on, kid. I’m sure there’s something else we can get up to.”

Rex watched the two clones walk off in the opposite direction and sighed. Echo and Fives really were right; everyone had noticed the rift that had opened up between him and Ahsoka. And now he needed to go and fix that.

The first place he checked was her quarters. That would make sense; she needed time to collect her thoughts, so she’d head there. Except her quarters were empty. So were Skywalker’s. Ahsoka wasn’t on the bridge. She wasn’t in the command center, throwing herself into work. Wasn’t in the mess hall. The training salle. The repair depot.

 _Where the hell_ is _she?_

It was like she’d disappeared right off the ship.

But she hadn’t. Rex knew because he could _feel_ her presence. Her turmoil. It was something murky and thick; coating the back of his mind and nudging at him even as he searched for her. He tried to raise her on the comms, but she just didn’t answer. Maybe she didn’t want to be found.

That was too bad, because they needed to talk.

There was only one thing for it.

Rex paused in the middle of the hallway and closed his eyes. Tuning out the rest of the world, he did something that he not only knew was wrong but had actively tried to avoid in the past: he reached out for the Force. For Ahsoka. For her specific presence. And he found it in a matter of seconds.

The gentle tug of Ahsoka’s Force signature drew Rex – strangely enough – to the 501st barracks. It was mostly empty, with only a few troopers here and there milling about; talking, repainting their armor, playing sabacc, and doing whatever else rank and file clones did in their spare time. Still, through all the two-meter-tall men, Rex couldn’t catch even a single glimpse of a short, orange Togruta.

But she was _here_. He could still feel her.

_Where the hell_ is _she?_

And then his eyes alighted on the door to his own office. There was nowhere else she could be hiding; it had to be in there. Rex crossed the barracks and reached the door to his office. He paused outside. And here he was again: hesitating. Was he really going to do this? He’d already told Fives that he would. And . . . it _was_ the right thing to do. But . . . could he do it?

Yes.

He opened the door and stepped inside before he could change his mind again.

And there she was. Ahsoka had gone through every drawer in Rex’s desk. And she’d found his stash of Hardcase’s confiscated alcohol. She was now sitting slumped against the side of Rex’s desk, her head and right shoulder leaning against its side. In her hand was one of the previously unopened bottles of jogan fruit brandy. Her eyes were bleary and a little unfocused. She hadn’t even noticed him yet, and that was unusual given her Jedi senses and Togruta echolocation.

_Oh, hell . . ._

“Er, Commander Tano?” Rex said, slowly taking a step toward her. “Ahsoka?”

“Ohh . . .” Ahsoka muttered. Sluggishly, she glanced up at him. “Fives? ‘S that you? Or, uh . . . Echo? No, wait . . .” she closed her eyes and shook her head slightly, looking so lost. “That can’t be right. Echo’s . . .”

“It’s me,” Rex said kneeling down in front of her. “It’s me: Rex.”

“Rex?” That seemed to bring her up short. Her blue eyes – now rimmed with red – focused on his face for several long seconds. Then they darted upwards to inspect his hair. Finally, recognition dawned on her. And she looked away. “What do _you_ want?”

Contempt.

_Ouch._

“I . . . I came looking for you,” Rex told her. “Wanted to make sure you were alright.” She looked so . . . dejected. Defeated.

What he really wanted to do right then was take her in his arms and hold her tight to his chest. To rock her back and forth and let her tell him how she felt and why she was so distraught. But he squashed that impulse. Not only was that extremely unprofessional and unquestionably out-of-line for a clone, but Ahsoka and Rex were very clearly not on the best of terms right now. Given the state she was in, Rex wouldn’t be surprised if she knocked his lights out for trying to hold her.

He needed to fix this. He just wanted things to go back to the way they were.

But . . . things just couldn’t go back to the way they were. Not completely.

There was, however, a new normal that might be within reach. He just needed to gather up the courage to reach for it.

“Oh,” Ahsoka said. She deflated once more. Shaking her head, she set the bottle down and let out an annoyed snort. “I thought you didn’t care ‘bout me anymore. How I’m feeling. What I think. Whatever.”

“Ahsoka, that’s not true,” Rex said. “That was never true.”

“But . . . But you . . . you stopped talking to me!” she said, her voice rising as the sentence went on. “You don’t talk to me anymore! An . . . And you stopped treating me like your friend. And you don’t act like you like me! And you don’t wanna be around me anymore! How is that not true?”

“I was . . .” Rex stopped himself. He took a deep breath. Took a second to collect his thoughts. He _needed_ to get this right. “I guess I was just scared. Scared of things that could happen if our . . . our – Force Bond got out. I made a knee-jerk call and proceeded to make an ass of myself for an entire week. It was wrong of me to do that without sitting down and talking things through with you first. It was also wrong of me to put the burden of finding out how to cut the connection. I’m, er . . . I’m sorry. And I hope it’s not too late to say that.”

Ahsoka sighed and closed her eyes, leaning her head back against Rex’s desk. “Rex,” she almost whispered. “I don’t wanna fight with you. But . . . what you did hurt . . .”

“I know,” Rex muttered. Taking a chance, he reached out and placed his hands on Ahsoka’s shoulders, steadying her. “I shouldn’t have done it. I . . . I don’t want to lose you.”

“Rex, I . . .” Ahsoka’s eyes met his own. They were suddenly brimming with tears. “I don’t want to do this war without you. I don’t think I could.”

Rex bit his lip. He shouldn’t admit it. But he did.

“I don’t think I could . . . do it without you, either,” he said slowly, as though every word pained him.

Ahsoka sighed as if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She closed her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you.”

“Of course, Ahsoka.”

Her eyes opened again. “I killed him.”

She was talking about Sobeck. “I know,” Rex said.

“I put my lightsaber through his back and I _felt_ him die, Rex,” she stressed, shaking her head. “I-I’ve never done that before and it – I feel like I’ve done something _wrong_.”

“Hey. Hey,” Rex said, trying to focus her, “it’s okay. You did what you had to do. If you didn’t stop Sobeck, Tarkin would’ve died and we would’ve lost his half of the information. And then everything we went through – all those sacrifices we and the others made – would’ve been for nothing.”

“I-I know . . .” Ahsoka said. “But . . . I’m a _Jedi_.”

“And this is a war.” Rex tried to bring her down as gently as he could. “General Skywalker’s right about one thing; you’re supposed to be peacekeepers, and this is a foreign environment to you.”

“It’s not a problem most of the time. Y’know. When it’s battle droids.”

“And you’ve been lucky so far,” Rex said. “Sometimes the Seppies use living soldiers. This was just one of those times. For what it’s worth . . . I’m sorry you had to go through that. You shouldn’t have had to. But . . . now you know what it’s like.”

“I feel sick,” Ahsoka said. She clutched herself and shivered. “And . . . gross.”

“So . . . you decided to come in here and break into my desk looking for Hardcase’s alcohol?” Rex asked, raising one eyebrow as he glanced down at the bottle on the ground.

A sad, sheepish smile crossed Ahsoka’s weary face. “I know I’m not ‘spose to . . . but I just wanted to . . . escape for a while.”

“Skywalker will tan your hide if he finds out.”

“Oh,” Ahsoka groaned. “Please don’t tell him. _Please_.”

Rex sighed and shook his head. He patted Ahsoka’s montrals. “Don’t worry,” he assured her. “Just this once, I’ll let it slide. You’ve been through the ringer, and I don’t plan on making things any worse for you.”

Relief flooded through Ahsoka, and Rex knew because it flowed into him as well; through their Bond. _That reminds me . . ._ She slumped forward, her arms clumsily reaching out to Rex and pulling herself closer to him. She leaned against him and hugged him as tightly as her alcohol-muddied limbs would allow.

“Thank you, Rex,” she sighed.

Rex hugged her back. Tightly. “I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I’m sorry for pushing you away.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not.”

“I . . .” Ahsoka let out a small chuckle. “I guess not. But it’s over now, right? We can move on. I . . . If you want to cut off the Force Bond, I can understand. I don’t want to guilt-trip you into something you aren’t comfortable with. ‘Specially something as strange and, well, _intimate_ as that.”

“That’s, er . . .” Rex muttered. “That’s the other thing.” He pulled back so that he could look Ahsoka in the eyes. She suddenly looked worried. “I think . . . I think I’d be okay with keeping the Bond intact. If . . . that’s okay with you . . .” It had come in handy more than once; knowing where Ahsoka was. How she was feeling. If she was okay. Maybe – just maybe – if they could keep this under wraps, it would be an alright thing to have.

Ahsoka inhaled sharply, and Rex was momentarily worried that he’d made the wrong call. Then, she hugged him tighter than ever.

“ _Of course_ ,” she said. “Yes. Yes, it’s okay with me.”

Gentle warmth flooded throughout Rex’s mind, and he smiled a genuine smile for the first time in days – how many exactly, he wasn’t sure – as he held Ahsoka close to him. Things were going to be okay. He hadn’t lost her. Not at all.

He cleared his throat, pulling back once more. “Well,” he said, reaching down to his belt. “That said, I think you’ll be needing this back.” And he held her shoto out toward her.

Her eyes widened, and one of her hands immediately went to her belt, as though she didn’t even know she’d been missing one of her ‘sabers. “Oh, _Force_ ,” she cursed. “I didn’t even realize I dropped that. Anakin would’ve _killed me_.”

“Well,” Rex said as she eagerly took the weapon from him and clipped it back onto her belt, “that’s what you have me for. Somebody’s got to save your skin every now and then.”

“Thank you, Rex.”

“Anytime, Ahsoka,” he said. “Just, ya know . . . don’t go swinging that thing around while you’re still drunk.”

She giggled – _probably the alcohol talking_ – and leaned into him again. “I guess you’re right,” she sighed. “Maybe I shouldn’t really move at all. Don’t wanna stand up and fall over. Think anyone’ll miss us for an hour?”

_Oh._

She wanted him to hang around and wait with her. Probably like this.

_Kriff it._

“Yeah,” he said. “Yeah, I think we’ll be okay.

He certainly hoped so.

And so they stayed there, on the floor of Rex’s office, just holding one another in silence as Ahsoka sobered up.

* * *

Ahsoka wasn’t a fan of headaches.

Right now, she had two. One was caused by the amount of alcohol she’d consumed without ever building up a tolerance. The other was caused by having to deal with Captain Tarkin for hours on end.

The group had returned to Coruscant and was now meeting with Masters Yoda and Windu on a landing pad jutting out from the Jedi Temple. Ahsoka, Anakin, Obi-Wan, Master Plo, Master Fisto, Master Tiin, Master Gallia, and Captain Tarkin were all there. A group of four Coruscant Guard troopers had shown up as well, presumably to oversee the return of the Nexus Route coordinates.

“Of Master Piell’s loss, we are sorry to hear,” said Master Yoda, stepping forward and looking solemn.

“He will be missed,” Master Windu nodded.

Privately, Ahsoka wished that such reverence could be given to all the clones that had died as well. They certainly deserved it. Charger, Longshot, Carver, Deadeye, Echo, Charr, Ket, and Holo. But she knew that just wasn’t how things were. Clones were run-of-the-mill soldiers. They were expected to die. It was different for Jedi, who perished much less often. It was a greater loss, especially since their numbers were already dwindling.

That didn’t make it right.

“Because of his great sacrifice, we now have the Nexus Route coordinates,” Master Plo said.

“Captain Tarkin and Ahsoka have each memorized half,” Obi-Wan explained.

“Debrief them both, we must,” Master Yoda said.

And that’s when Tarkin opened his immense mouth. “With all due respect, Master Jedi,” he said, sounding as though he was utterly lacking in respect, “I was instructed by Chancellor Palpatine to bring the intel directly to him for debriefing.”

Ahsoka wasn’t going to stand for that. She had her own instructions. “I promised Master Piell that I would deliver it only to the Council.” Tarkin shot her a contemptuous glare. She smirked. “And _that’s_ what I will do.”

A tense silence fell for a moment.

“Hm,” Master Yoda said. “Personally meet with the Chancellor, I will. Decide what is best to do, we shall.” And with that, he turned and slowly hobbled off, using his short cane as leverage.

The clones all stood to attention and slipped off to the fringes of the landing pad, allowing the Grand Master to lead away Windu, Tiin, Gallia, and Fisto. Master Plo was about to follow, but Anakin stopped him

“Master Plo,” he said, “there’s something we want to ask you.”

_Oh, no. No!_

Ahsoka was going to be found out. Now they would all know that she’d lied about being assigned to the mission and Anakin would never trust her again.

The Kel Dor master turned to regard the three remaining Jedi.

“Did you assign Ahsoka to the mission?” Anakin asked.

Every muscle in her body tensed as she looked guiltily up at Master Plo. He stared at her for a moment, his expression unreadable behind his breathing mask and protective goggles. She hung her head, ready to accept the responsibility, the blame, and whatever punishment was about to come crashing down upon her.

But she was wrong.

“It appears I did,” said Master Plo in that deep, calm voice of his.

Anakin and Obi-Wan shared a short, surprised look. A look that was mirrored – briefly – on Ahsoka’s own face. Then she wiped it away, careful not to look too suspicious.

Master Plo swept forward and, placing a gentle hand on Ahsoka’s shoulder, guided her away from the landing platform, leaving Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Tarkin behind.

“I do hope your little jaunt taught you a lesson or two,” he said quietly, so that no one would hear.

“Y-Yes, Master Plo,” Ahsoka said, sheepishly. “It did.”

And it helped her work out some problems too.

Echo was gone. Charger was gone. But their sacrifices were not in vain. They had retrieved the information. Holo and Slipstream still lived. She and Rex had patched things up and were now even closer than before. She knew she could trust herself to handle situations as dangerous as the Citadel. Yes, she had killed. But it had been for the right reasons. She’d saved Tarkin – even if she didn’t like him – from a terrible death. In doing so, she’d protected the information and hopefully saved countless other lives by allowing the Republic usage of the Nexus Route.

“Thank you, Master Plo.”

“Of course, Little ‘Soka.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I Didn't Have You - Vista Kicks
> 
> What do you do when two characters who are supposed to like each other are at odds?  
> Put them through hell together
> 
> In other news, Fives finally got an honest answer out of Rex and now he and Ahsoka are good with their Force Bond!


	22. Gas Dance

**Separatist-held territory, Felucia**

It was nighttime, but it wasn’t exactly dark out. The glow from the surrounding flora was multicolored: blue, orange, and purple. It cast a deep glow onto everything making it fairly easy to see what was going on.

_Denal had certainly been right all those months ago. We really were getting sent back here._

Felucia still sucked, but it wasn’t as bad as the last time.

Rex, Ahsoka, General Skywalker, and the 501st were accompanying General Koon, Commander Wolffe, and the 104th in their attempt to stabilize control of the region. They’d been out here for a few days now and were actually making better progress than they had the first time.

At the moment, however, a small detachment of their forces had surrounded a Separatist base, which had just received a new transport containing Seppie reinforcements. Lots of battle droids. A few commandos too, by the looks of it. Rex shifted uncomfortably beside Wolffe and Coric.

“Droid reinforcements have just arrived,” reported General Koon, who was crouched just ahead, surveying the droid base over the ridge with a pair of electrobinoculars. He lowered them. “We shall break into three groups to divide their defenses. I’ll take the left flank. Skywalker, attack the front gates. Ahsoka, you scale the back wall. We’ll meet in the middle.”

Everyone nodded and they all rose to prepare for the battle.

“Okay, scouts,” General Skywalker said, turning to the group of short native Felucians that had elected to accompany them, “find me a way down there. Quiet like.” He placed a hand on one of their shoulders. They were short creatures with strangely long necks, though not at all like the Kaminoans in any way. Skywalker mentioned having once helped them fight off a group of pirates that had been threatening their homestead.

“Going through the front gate won’t be easy,” Ahsoka commented.

“Hey, you have it tougher going over that wall,” Skywalker said, turning toward her as the Felucians scurried away.

“You taught me well,” Ahsoka told him. “I can handle anything.” And she turned to go, motioning for some of Wolffe’s boys to follow her.

“Don’t get cocky!” Skywalker called after her.

Which was fine advice coming from him.

She waved him off, not looking back as two squads of clones followed her into the foliage. After only a few seconds, they disappeared. Rex’s brain was tingling. He scratched at his neck.

“So, what’s the plan, General?” Rex asked, turning back toward Skywalker.

“Well,” he said, folding his arms and glancing back at their artillery, “we’re goin’ in the main gate. That means we’re the diversion. We’ll use our ATs and our Juggernaut to our advantage. We just have to keep them focused on us, so they won’t notice Plo and Ahsoka until they’re right on top of them. As long we can do that, this should be over quickly.”

“Very good, sir,” Rex nodded. It was a sound strategy, and nothing the boys weren’t used to. The 501st seemed to be rather good at creating ‘distractions.’ As Skywalker walked off to rally the men, he turned to Coric. “What do you think?”

“I think Denal’s right,” Coric said, looking around. “Felucia sucks.”

“About the strategy.”

“Well,” Coric said, focusing once more, “I can’t say I’m a fan of sending Commander Tano off to do one of the more dangerous tasks on her own, but I know why we have to do it.”

“We can’t always shield her,” Rex said. “Have to let her go out on her own sometimes.”

“I know,” Coric shrugged. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

“I know how you feel,” Rex admitted.”

“I know you do.”

“Come on,” Rex said, motioning for him to follow. “Let’s go get organized.”

* * *

Ahsoka led four clones she’d chosen as the advanced guard – Comet, Sinker, Boost, and Wildfire – stealthily through the glowing foliage. They’d circled the entire square base were finally coming around the back side of the structure.

She shivered.

“Hold up,” she whispered, drawing everyone to a halt. Her eyes scanned the surrounding area, struggling to make out . . . _something._ “I sense something out there.”

“A droid?” Comet asked.

Ahsoka frowned. That didn’t seem right. “I don’t think so,” she said. She glanced around again but saw nothing. “Probably just an animal.” But even the animals here were dangerous. She’d kept them held up for too long; they needed to get moving. “Come on. We gotta get to that wall.”

“Stay alert, men,” Comet said to the others. “Let’s move.”

And they kept onward.

After another minute or so, they were within a few meters of the base. The outer wall was high, but that wasn’t going to matter since Ahsoka and the other Jedi could simply leap over the structure using the Force. The clones were equipped with jetpacks and grappling hooks, meaning they’d be able to get inside as well.

Ahsoka, Sinker, Boost, Comet, and Wildfire flattened themselves against a few of the thicker, taller plants; making sure to keep out of sight of the wall. At least for the moment. Once the shooting started, they’d have to get moving.

Ahsoka’s wristcomm beeped. “Skywalker, Ahsoka,” said Master Plo, “are you in position?”

“Ready and waiting, Master Plo,” reported Anakin’s voice.

“We’re in position,” Ahsoka said.

“Artillery, open fire!” Master Plo ordered.

Ahsoka heard the cannons go off and saw the immediate after-effects. Inside the base, explosions went off as what was probably several key structures were hit. She could hear the chaos as hundreds of clankers did their best to quickly reorganize themselves for combat. The distraction was going very well.

She counted to ten in her head, just to make sure that the other groups had engaged the enemy, and then motioned for the men to get moving. Comet and Sinker shot out of cover, taking aim up at the wall and opening fire on a pair of droids that were stationed there to keep watch. They each took a single shot to the chest and fell; deactivated.

They had to move fast; they’d announced their presence.

Ahsoka darted up toward the wall and stopped right in front of it, turning back to the others. “Comet, Sinker, Boost, get up there!” she ordered, stopping and drawing both her lightsabers. Just in case, it would be best if she covered the men as they made their ascent. Perhaps the droids were already mounting a counter-attack. Or there could be a patrol returning to the base. Either way, someone was going to need to defend the clones as they climbed. So that was what she was going to do. She could just leap over the wall with the Force and join them in a matter of seconds. It wasn’t like she was gonna miss the firefight.

One after another, each clone ran up to the wall, aimed their grappling line, and fired it, allowing it to bite into the durasteel wall and carry them upwards to the top.

“We’re all clear, Commander!” called Comet, sticking his head over the top of the wall to look down at her. She could hear the shooting inside the base now; the men were getting straight to work.

But . . . there it was again. That feeling.

Something _was_ out there.

“I’ll be right there!” Ahsoka called up. Comet nodded and disappeared.

There was a sudden high-pitched whine. Something electronic. Ahsoka squinted her eyes into the foliage, searching for its source.

That was when the glowing, sparking net shot of nowhere and engulfed her. Pain shot through her entire body as it went rigid with shock and overstimulation. She was thrown back against the wall of the base. She couldn’t even scream. All she could do was groan in pain and surprise as her eyes rolled up into her head and she fell to the ground.

* * *

Rex was tired. He reached up and removed his helmet as he approached the main entrance of the base. The fight had been short, relatively casualty-free, and it had ended in a Republic victory. Nothing to write home about there. The problem was Ahsoka.

She was missing.

Immediately after the fighting had finished, Skywalker had realized that his Padawan had not rejoined their fighting force. That was when Rex had realized it, too: he no longer felt her presence. He’d grown used to that by now. Their Force Bond allowed him fairly constant awareness of her location and state of mind. But he no longer felt that. There was a chasmic, empty hole where her Force-signature had once resided. Is this what it would have felt like all the time if Rex had decided to sever the Bond? He hoped he wasn’t about to find out.

He himself had organized and commanded the search parties. They’d been at it all night. Now, it was early morning and they’d still found absolutely nothing. Rex wasn’t sure what to do.

“General,” he called, grabbing the man’s attention. He was standing in the entrance to the formerly Separatist base, accompanied by Pulsar, Appo, and Drayk. His arms were folded behind his back and his eyes were closed. Perhaps he was trying to sense Ahsoka as well. His eyes opened at Rex’s words and he looked down at him. “We’ve been over the same area a dozen times. There’s no sign of Commander Tano.”

Skywalker frowned. “Not good enough, Rex,” he said, frustrated. “Try again.” Behind him, he could see General Koon approaching with Wolffe.

There wasn’t much Rex could do besides nod and follow orders. As General Koon engaged in a ‘discussion’ with Skywalker, Rex turned to go. The Kel Dor Jedi was probably trying to convince Skywalker that they had to leave. _Good luck to him_.

As much as Rex hated to admit it, they were going to have to pull out. There was nothing for them here.

They’d completed their mission. Others could handle Felucia without them. Ahsoka wasn’t dead; they would’ve found her body and Skywalker would certainly have sensed that. Rex might have, too. She was MIA. All they could do now was wait for either a lead or a ransom demand.

“Captain?” asked a voice, drawing Rex out of his thoughts. A group of clones was clustered nearby, taking the opportunity to pop a few stims and gulp down some rations in between their search party duties. Jesse, Vaughn, Ringo, Oz, and Boro. Rex stepped closer to them. “What’s the situation?” It was Jesse who had spoken.

“We’re doing another sweep of the area,” Rex said. “Skywalker isn’t giving up hope on her yet. And neither are we.” He needed to sound determined. Put together. Not worried out of his kriffing mind.

“I admire his faith, I’ll say that much,” Oz commented, injecting a stim cartridge into his shoulder. “But we’re running on empty, sir. I dunno if I’ll be able to stand in another hour or so.”

“It’s been a hard day’s night,” Ringo said, which earned him a punch on the shoulder from Jesse. He choked on his rations.

“We’ll keep looking if we have to, sir,” said Vaughn, standing at attention.

Rex admired the kid’s dedication, but he could see the signs of fatigue in his posture. He was standing as straight as he normally would, and his shoulders sagged despite his attempts to keep them up.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Boro said. “We’re all tired. We need rest. If we get sloppy because we’re tired, Felucia’s likely to take advantage of that. Someone’s going to end up dead.”

“Rex, I want to find Commander Tano as much as you do,” Jesse said. _Oh, I doubt that_. “Still, though, if we haven’t found her by now, I don’t think we’re gonna find her. She’s gone.”

Rex’s commlink went off. It was General Skywalker. “Call everybody in, Rex. We’re leaving.” He sounded hollow.

He _felt_ hollow, too.

He knew it was the right call. He knew it was what they had to do, but that didn’t make him feel any better about it. Everything inside him was screaming at him to stay, to keep searching. But he couldn’t.

He raised his commlink to his mouth. “All units, this is Captain Rex,” he said in as steady a voice as he could manage. He swallowed. “Pack it in. We’re leaving.” There was a flurry of responses over the link, but Rex didn’t hear them.

The troopers around him looked surprised.

“Are we really leaving, sir?” Jesse asked as though he couldn’t believe it.

“Those are General Skywalker’s orders,” Rex said, knowing full well that his General was just as unhappy about this as he was. Maybe even a little more so. “Everyone get it together.”

“Yes, sir,” Oz nodded, picking up his helmet and blaster.

“What’ll we do now?” Vaughn asked, looking worried. “What about Commander Tano?”

“We’re going home,” Rex told him, “but that doesn’t mean we’re giving up. I won’t. Skywalker definitely won’t. We’ve got spies in the Confederacy and information brokers working for us across the galaxy. We’ll find her. But I doubt we can do that from here.” He was trying to convince himself just as much as Vaughn.

They might be giving up the search for her, but it would continue elsewhere; picked up by other people. Skywalker wasn’t liable to stop looking, though. And neither was Rex.

And he had a pretty good idea where to start asking a few questions . . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gas Dance - The Last Shadow Puppets
> 
> I'm approaching this arc a bit differently than usual. There's not much to add on Ahsoka's side of things, so I'm not going through the episodes scene-by-scene like usual as there really isn't anything to change. We'll still check-in with her for a scene or two to see how she's doing, but I wanted to focus on the homefront a bit, especially since there's an interesting development or two while Ahsoka's away.
> 
> Sidenote: the Youngling Jinx is voiced by the same guy who played Jun-A266 in Halo: Reach, so that's pretty cool.


	23. Everything Will Be Alright

**Jedi Temple War Room, Coruscant**

Anakin stood in the darkened room, hunched over the holotable, staring at a map of the galaxy that was being projected over it. Twenty-four hours. Twenty-four hours and Ahsoka was still missing. It was as if she’d disappeared from the known galaxy. The only comfort Anakin had was that he knew she was not dead. He would have felt that for sure, no matter how far apart they were.

Still, there were plenty of terrible things that could have happened to Ahsoka without her ending up dead. Captured by the Separatists and tortured for information. Kidnapped and sold into slavery. Something worse.

He ran his organic hand over his face. He hadn’t slept since she had been taken.

Progress was slow. With zero leads the only way to search was the old-fashioned way: go planet by planet and search for her. With so many star systems throughout the galaxy, that could take years. He needed to narrow down the search.

Their allies wouldn’t have taken her, so he could eliminate friendly planets. Ord Cestus, Naboo, Pantora, Alderaan, Ryloth, Tatooine . . . Actually, scratch that. The Hutts could still be involved, allies or not. He didn’t trust them. Coruscant was also still on the table; the underworld here was vast and rampant. Uninhabited or mostly wild planets could be taken off the list as well. Hoth, Orto Plutonia, Dagobah, Maridun, et cetera.

Even with all those planets and more scratched off the list of possible locations, there were still hundreds – maybe thousands – more that needed to be searched.

Dimly, he heard the door open and a pair of boots approach him. Who was it this time? Obi-Wan had already been in to see him. He’d unsuccessfully attempted to get Anakin to cease his seemingly tireless efforts. Who had come now?

“What,” said a deep voice, “is Ahsoka’s strength?”

It was Plo Koon. How was he, of all people, still calm and collected while Ahsoka was lost out there? While she was missing?

Anakin sighed. He’d play along. “She is fearless,” he said, raising his head slightly to look over at the Jedi Master.

“That can also be a weakness,” Master Plo pointed out, pacing behind Anakin. Had he come here to make Anakin feel better or worse? “Is she a worthy apprentice?”

“ _No_ _one_ has her kind of determination,” Anakin answered immediately.

Plo stopped just behind him. “Except you,” he said softly.

“I’ll find her,” Anakin said as if to somehow explain his presence in the room.

“This may not be within your power,” Plo warned him.

But how could it not be? Anakin once more found himself returning to the age-old question in his mind. What was the point of being the Chosen One if he didn’t have that kind of power? If he couldn’t save and protect the people he cared about? His men. His Padawan. His friends. His old Master. His wife. If he couldn’t keep them safe, what was the point?

“Whatever you’re trying to say, Master Plo, just say it,” Anakin said, turning to face the Kel Dor Jedi. He’d had enough of these word games. He had work to do. And this wasn’t helping.

Plo was silent for a moment. Then, he started walking back toward the door.

“I am suggesting that perhaps, if you have trained her well, she shall take care of herself. And find a way back to you.” And with that, he left the War Room, leaving Anakin alone with his thoughts and the holomap once more.

Maybe . . .

But did he really want to take that chance?

* * *

Ahsoka lay flat on the hard surface of the tree she and the others were camped out in, curled into a tight ball and trying her best to get some sleep.

It was the dead of night and the fire that the Younglings she’d found had made had finally petered out. A Twi’lek, Jinx, a Cerean, O-Mer, and a Human, Kalifa. They were the ragtag group of Jedi survivors that she’d encountered not long after being ‘released’ onto the jungle island on a planet that she didn’t know. They’d told her that the Trandoshans had been capturing Younglings for some time. That they’d even managed to kill a few and that there was no hope of escape.

Trandoshans.

_Force-forsaken Trandoshans._

They’d knocked her out, kidnapped her, taken her lightsabers and commlink, and had put her here so they could hunt her. For sport.

There was no question about it: she was in deep trouble. The Younglings she’d found didn’t want to fight back; just run. No one knew where she was. Not Anakin, not Rex, not Master Plo. She didn’t even have her lightsabers. They’d been gone when she’d awakened on a cage in the Trandoshan’s ship, so she could only assume they’d taken them. At this moment, they were probably on some sort of display; shown off as trophies.

But she’d get them back. She’d get out of this.

_Somehow_.

Was anyone even looking for her?

Of course they were. They had to know she was gone by now. However long it had been. But there was no telling where in the galaxy she was since she wasn’t even sure how long the journey here from Felucia had been as she’d been unconscious for an undetermined amount of time. In any case, the Republic would suspect that the Separatists had taken her, not some ragtag band of Trandoshan hunters. They’d be looking in the wrong places.

But they’d try, surely. Anakin certainly would. So would Rex; she was sure of that.

Ahsoka closed her eyes and curled into a tighter ball. With no fire, it was beginning to get cold in the hollow section of a tree that the four Jedi were hiding out in. What she wouldn’t give for a heater. Or a warm body to curl up against.

Her thoughts drifted – strangely – to Rex.

What was he doing right now? What was he thinking about? Was it her? Was he searching?

She let her mind sink into the Force and reached out for Rex through their Bond. She could still feel him. Barely. Just enough to know that he was alive, okay, and out there somewhere. She hoped he could feel her. That he would at least know that she wasn’t dead. That there was a chance she’d come back.

No. Not a chance.

_A fact._

She _would_ come back. She’d find a way home. She couldn’t just give up like the Younglings seemed to have.

For Rex. For Anakin. For herself.

* * *

Rex stepped into the Arca Company Barracks, which he knew to be the headquarters of the Special Operations Brigade. Alongside him walked Jedi General Arligan Zey, a human and one of the two Directors of Special Forces.

“Captain . . . Rex, is it?” asked the broad, gray-haired man, looking over at him as they walked toward the front doors.

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m glad you were able to schedule this meeting on such short notice,” said the General. “What can I do for you?”

“I’d, er . . .” Rex hesitated. “I’d like to have a chat with some of your Null ARCs.”

“Hmm,” General Zey muttered, looking ponderous. “And why would that be?”

Rex had a cover story. And it wouldn’t necessarily be a lie, because he was here to ask about that as well. Only a lie by omission. “I want to inquire about the Special Operations Brigade’s progress in locating my Commander, sir,” Rex said.

“Ah, yes,” Zey nodded. “Commander Tano, correct? She was listed as missing during your recent excursion to Felucia, correct?”

“That’s right, sir,” Rex nodded. “We’re all worried about her.”

“I see,” said General Zey as the pair stepped through the pneumatic doors and into the entry area of the barracks. “Well, I see no harm in allowing you to check on such a matter. I’ll have one of the men escort you to see a few of my officers.” He glanced around the room and his eyes alighted on one particular clone outfitted in dark commando armor. “Corr, come here for a moment please.”

The commando nodded and walked over, bidding farewell to the two other commandos he’d been talking to; one with red splotches all over his armor, and the other with gray and yellow markings painted onto his gear. He joined Rex and General Zey.

“What do you need sir?” the clone, Corr, asked.

“Captain Rex here has some questions he wants answered,” Zey said, gesturing toward the Captain. “Can you take him to Ordo?”

“Yes, sir,” Corr nodded. He waved Rex over. “Come on, Captain. I’ll take you to the boss.”

Rex nodded at General Zey. “Thank you, sir,” he said.

“Of course.”

With that, Rex followed Corr deeper into the barracks, leaving the main area and the Jedi General behind.

“So,” Corr said, glancing over at Rex as they walked side-by-side through the halls, “what do you want to talk to Ordo about? If you don’t mind me asking.”

“Missing Padawan,” Rex said, shortly. He didn’t know this guy. Didn’t know how much he could or should tell him.

“Ohh,” Corr nodded, as though he understood. “I’ve heard about you. You’re Captain Rex. My squad’s talked about you and your _nehutyc al’verd’ika_ before.”

“Oh?” Rex asked, raising an eyebrow. “What squad do you serve with?” He’d never met Corr before.

“Omega Squad.”

“Omega? I thought they already had four members.”

“Oh,” Corr wouldn’t meet Rex’s eyes. “Well, I’m a replacement. Fi’s dead.”

“Oh.”

“Used to be with the Clone Ordinance Specialists,” Corr said, holding up his arms. Rex realized that both of his arms – below the elbow – were mechanical. “’Til this happened. Then I got shuffled over to information. Served with Omega, Delta, and some of the Nulls while combating some terrorists here on Coruscant. Their trainer, Kal Skirata, liked me and had me trained as a commando. They brought me on after Fi was, er . . . killed.”

“Well . . . that’s good for you,” Rex said, not really sure what else to say. One man’s loss was another man’s gain. That’s just how the galaxy worked.

“I know I’m pretty lucky,” Corr said, shrugging. “Most clones in my position would’ve been shipped back to Kamino and terminated for not being useful in combat. Guess someone thought I was smart enough to be worth keeping alive.”

He was right; most clones weren’t given that kind of treatment. Denal wouldn’t have been.

“Yeah,” Rex nodded. “Well . . . that’s good.”

“Yeah.”

They lapsed into a somewhat awkward silence. After another minute or so of walking and riding up a lift, Rex and Corr stopped in front of a door that looked just like all the others in the barracks. Corr pressed a button to one side of it. It slid open, allowing them to step through into the other room. The room was much like Rex’s own office, though it wasn’t connected to any kind of sleeping area. It was a square room, with a plant or two here and there. A desk sat across from them with a wide window on the wall behind it. At the desk sat a clone trooper wearing an older variant of ARC trooper armor. His helmet rested on the desk before him, and the red stripes painted onto the white plastoid marked him as a captain. Ordo. In front of the desk stood two other ARCs, both wearing white armor with blue stripes, meaning they were lieutenants. It looked like they had all been having a tense discussion before the door had opened.

“Yes?” asked Ordo, looking toward the door. “You know you’re supposed to knock, right Corr?”

The commando shrugged. “Yeah, yeah,” he said. “You boys and your top-secret schemes and all that.”

“What do you want?”

Corr nudged Rex. “Captain Rex here was looking to have a little chat with you. Some important business involving his Jedi Commander, as I understand it.”

Ordo narrowed his eyes. “I see.” And Rex had a strange feeling that he was being x-rayed. “Well, thank you for bringing him to me. You can head out, now.”

“Sir.” Corr gave a short salute before turning and stepping out of the room. The door shut behind him, leaving Rex alone with the three Nulls.

“Well, come closer, Rex,” Ordo said, waving him forward. “I wasn’t expecting a meeting today, but you’re here now, so you might as well tell me what you want.” Obediently, Rex stepped forward. He ended up right in front of the desk, sandwiched between the two ARC lieutenants. “Don’t look so wary; we don’t bite. That’s Prudii and Jaing; two of my lieutenants.”

“Good to meet you,” Rex nodded.

“Likewise,” Prudii said.

“Heard you already met Kom’rk and Mereel on their return trip from Kamino last year,” Jaing put in.

“I did,” Rex said. “They seemed like standup brothers.”

Jaing snorted. “I’d hope so.”

“In any case,” Ordo said, focusing the group once more, “what do you need to see me about? We’re in the middle of an important meeting here.”

“Ah,” Rex said, scratching the back of his neck. The first part wouldn’t be too hard to get out. “I’m . . . here to ask about any information you have regarding the disappearance of Commander Tano.”

“Oh, I see,” Ordo said, nodding as a smirk crossed his face. “Right . . . didn’t I discipline you about her fraternizing with the enemy a couple months ago?”

“Something like that.”

“Right . . .” Ordo glanced at the holoscreen in front of him. His fingers tapped away rapidly as he brought up some information. “She went missing on Felucia a couple of days ago, yeah?”

“That’s right.”

Ordo eyes scanned from left to right rapidly as read through several lines of text. “Nothing . . . conclusive yet . . .” he said slowly. “We have a few teams on the hunt for information. Nothing in places we’d expect. Nothing on Lola Sayu. No mention of her on the usual Separatist channels. No important prisoner transfers or anything like that. Nothing on the more populated Confederacy planets – Ando, Cato Neimoidia, a few other places . . . I’m sorry, Rex. Nothing yet. But we are narrowing things down.”

“Right,” Rex muttered. It wasn’t like he had really been expecting some good news, but there was always hope. Until there wasn’t. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” Ordo nodded. “Now, if you’ll excuse us . . .”

“Actually,” Rex said, holding up one hand, “there’s something else I’d like to discuss.”

“Oh?” Ordo looked confused. “And what would that be?”

“I . . .” _There’s a couple of guys in the SOB that don’t think so. Some of those Null ARC troopers. Ask those about it if you ever get the opportunity._ “What do you three know about reversing advanced aging of clones?”

The mood in the room shifted in the blink of an eye. Ordo rocketed to his feet and leaned over the desk, his eyes narrowed and his teeth bared. Jaing and Prudii both shifted to face him, no longer looking quite so friendly. Jaing’s arms were folded and Prudii’s hands were clasped into fists, as though he was about to fight Rex. He took a step back and raised his hands, suddenly worried about getting beaten to a pulp by three troopers that were . . . what was it?

_Instant death on legs._

“Woah, woah,” Rex said, “I –”

“Do _not_ move,” Ordo hissed. “Do not move for that door. Step closer.” It was an order. One that Rex certainly couldn’t afford not to follow.

So he did.

“Now,” Ordo said, “ _why_ would you think that we would know something about the advanced aging process?”

“Er, I . . .” Rex couldn’t tell them the _truth_. They’d think he was crazy. Maybe he was. “Well, I – I heard a rumor that there were some clones that were looking to reverse the rapid-aging process that the Kaminoans engineered us with. I figured that if anyone knew about a secret project like that, it would be you.”

All three Nulls stared at him for several long moments.

“Captain Rex,” Ordo said, slowly, raising one eyebrow, “I want you to tell me what happened to you last year on Saleucami. Uncensored.”

Rex’s blood ran cold. What did _that_ have to do with anything? “Uncensored, sir?” he asked. “My report wasn’t censored. There was nothing on it that could possibly considered classified.”

“Your report was censored,” Ordo maintained, “but not by the GAR. It was censored by _you_. Captain, I’m one of the leaders of the most black ops division of the Grand Army. You don’t think I can spot a fake report from a lightyear away? You lied. And I want to know why.”

“Why?” Rex demanded, narrowing his eyes.

“Because I want to know if you’re trustworthy,” Ordo told him. “Truth is, if I wasn’t curious about that, I would’ve had you thrown out of here by now. But there’s something you’re keeping from your superiors. And that interests me.”

_Shit_.

What were his options? If he lied again and they caught him, Rex wasn’t actually sure what they’d do. Yes, they were brothers, but Nulls were known to be ‘dangerous and unpredictable.’ And Rex had apparently asked the wrong question; they were all on edge now. If he told the truth, he wasn’t sure what would happen. They wanted him to prove that he was trustworthy. Whatever that meant. Maybe that he could keep an important secret. Whatever was going on with them and the advanced aging research, it seemed like it wasn’t something they wanted to share. Which made sense.

So Rex was going to have to come clean.

“Okay,” he said. “Alright. I take it this is off the record?” He just had to be sure.

Prudii snorted. “Couldn’t get much more off the record than this,” he said. “Nothing any of us say right now is leaving this room. You can count on that.”

“Speak your mind,” Ordo said. “None of this is getting back to any of our superiors. You have my word.”

“Right,” Rex nodded. He sighed. “On Saleucami, I was injured; shot off my speeder by a commando droid. Three of my men managed to keep me alive and took me to a nearby farm where I spent the night and recovered. That’s all in the report.”

“That’s right,” Ordo nodded, signaling for him to continue.

“What’s not in the report is that I met a clone on the farm.”

“One of our boys?” Jaing asked, looking skeptical. “What was he doing there?”

“Living,” Rex told him, remembering the events as though they had happened yesterday. “His name was Cut. He’d taken the last name Lawquene. Apparently, his transport had been shot down over Saleucami shortly after the battle of Geonosis. The clankers hunted down the survivors; killed every last one of them. Except for Cut. Because he ran away. He deserted. After that, he settled down with a Twi’lek woman. Adopted her name, her lifestyle, her children. Far as I know, they still live on that farm.”

“And you didn’t turn them in . . .” Ordo said, looking surprised. He stroked his chin. “Interesting . . .”

“I was going to,” Rex said, as though to defend himself. He still wasn’t sure what their angle was yet. “But . . . I couldn’t. Not after talking to Cut and seeing how much he cared about his new family. How they cared about him. I – I just couldn’t be responsible for tearing that apart. It didn’t seem right. As clones, we’re not supposed to be allowed to have that. We’re supposed to live and fight and die for the Republic. I believed that. I still believe that. But I just couldn’t turn him in.” Rex looked away.

Everyone was silent for several moments. The Nulls all looked at one another. Then, Ordo took his seat once more.

“Interesting story, Captain,” he said, nodding. “I think you made the right decision.”

“You do?”

“Absolutely,” Ordo said. “We may be clones, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a right to live the life we want. During or after the war. It seems like you haven’t really made up your mind about what you think about yet, but you should do that soon.”

“And why’s that?” Rex asked, raising an eyebrow.

“War’s gotta end sometime,” Jaing said. “And I don’t exactly trust the Kaminoans or the Senate to just let us all retire and live our lives how we want. They’ll still want an army.”

“We’re not sure if we’ll have to earn our freedom through fighting or through diplomacy, but I doubt we’ll just be given it for free,” Ordo clarified. “The Senate paid a hefty amount of credits for us. They wanna see a return on their investment. A lifetime of servitude.”

“Maybe it’s better that way,” Rex said. “Less complicated.”

“I don’t think you believe that,” Ordo said. His voice wasn’t accusatory. He was just stating a fact. “Or you would’ve turned Cut in. Just think about it, Rex.”

“I did what you asked me to,” Rex said, changing topics. Now wasn’t the time for all that. “Am I trustworthy?”

Jaing and Prudii looked at Ordo, who considered Rex for a moment. “I think so,” he said after a long moment. “In answer to your earlier question: yes, we are following a lead or two that might allow us to reverse, slow, or halt the advanced aging genes inside us.”

“How?” Rex asked.

“We . . . have a man currently stationed on Kamino,” Ordo explained, hesitating as he apparently thought about exactly how much he should tell Rex. “He’s chasing down some very promising leads. Has been for a while now.”

“And?”

“And . . . nothing conclusive,” Ordo said. “Yet. We’re trying to locate a specific Kaminoan: Ko Sai. From what we know, she was one of the leading minds that determined our genetics. If anyone would know how to stop or reverse the aging, we think it’s her.”

“I see,” Rex said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. “And who exactly knows about this?”

“The six of us Nulls,” Ordo listed, ticking them off on his fingers, “our trainer, Kal Skirata, and a Jedi, Etain Tur-Mukan.”

“A Jedi?”

“Yes,” Ordo said. “She has, er, _personal reasons_ for getting involved. Nothing I can go into right now.”

“Maybe I should talk to her sometime,” Rex mused. “I’m sure Ahso – Commander Tano might know her.”

Ordo shrugged. “Maybe,” he said. “If not, I’m sure I could arrange something. In any case, General Zey and General Camas are turning a blind eye to our little side project as long as we don’t get caught, so keep it that way. Omega Squad might suspect we’re up to something, but they don’t know the details for sure.”

“Got it,” Rex nodded.

“Well, Rex, it was a pleasure to get to know you,” Ordo said, standing once more. “It’s good to know that you care about your brothers more than the Republic. I wish more clones shared your viewpoint.”

“I’m sure they do.” At least, many in the 501st did.

“We’ll be in touch if anything comes up,” Ordo told him.

Rex nodded and understood that he was being dismissed. “Copy that,” he said, turning to leave. He was almost to the door when a voice stopped him. He glanced back.

“Remember,” Prudii said, shaking his head. “No one else knows about this. And it’s gonna stay that way.”

Rex didn’t need another warning. He nodded anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything Will Be Alright - The Killers
> 
> Interesting. Interesting . . .
> 
> nehutyc- feisty  
> al'verd'ika- little commander


	24. Restless Spirits

**79’s, Coruscant**

Coric sat at the table inside the clone bar alongside Denal, Jesse, Vaughn, Kano, Dogma, Vill, Tup, and Fives. It was by no means just them, though. Most of the 501st was in the establishment. They were supposed to be celebrating their return – mostly – intact from Felucia. But the place had a rather subdued atmosphere. There was still no word on Commander Tano’s location after her disappearance, and it was bringing everyone down.

Coric sighed, staring down into whatever drink he’d ordered – he couldn’t really remember – and tried to think over the music playing over the speakers. “Thought it’d be a little livelier in here tonight,” he mused.

“I came here to drink, not party,” Jesse remarked, shrugging. “This works for me.” And he upended his cup into his mouth.

“As the senior medic,” Coric said, watching the man’s Adam’s apple bob up and down, “I think it’s my job to tell you that your attitude isn’t a healthy one.”

“And yet, we’re _all_ here,” Denal said, gesturing around at the many clones that filled the building. “Must be genetic.”

“Not Dogma here,” Tup said, elbowing his batchmate. “Not a drop of alcohol in that glass.”

“I don’t like it,” Dogma said, resolute as ever. “It doesn’t taste very good.”

“The taste isn’t exactly the point, kid,” Fives said, holding up his glass and pointing a finger at Dogma.

“Er, is no one going to talk about the Bantha in the room?” asked Vaughn, glancing around.

“I thought we were trying to avoid that topic on purpose,” Jesse said. “That’s why we came here.”

“We came here to get slammed. Or, some of us did, anyway,” said Kano. His eyes were locked on Rook, who was at the bar with Attie, Edge, and Oz, doing shots of some kind. “But I doubt there’s any avoiding that.”

“Not having the Commander around is . . . weird,” said Vill, who had never known any different. “Especially since she’s missing-in-action.”

“What do you think happened?” asked Tup, looking enraptured. “To get the drop on a Jedi? It had to be some powerful Sith, right?”

Coric chuckled. “Don’t get yourself all worked up,” he said, waving one hand dismissively. “You can get the drop on a Jedi if you know how to do it. Otherwise, half the bounty hunters in the galaxy would be dead or in prison right now. Besides, if a Sith got the drop on Commander Tano, I er . . .” He trailed off.

“We’d probably have a body on our hands, not a missing person,” Dogma filled in.

“Tactful as ever, I see,” Denal chided, shaking his head.

“How do we even know she’s still alive?” Vill asked.

“Skywalker would feel that for sure,” Coric supplied. “The Force works like that.” _Rex would’ve, too. But I can’t exactly mention that._

He had been surprised – but also slightly relieved – to hear that the Captain and Commander had made amends and decided to keep their Force Bond. Or whatever. Was it against regulations? Absolutely. But it didn’t seem to be doing any harm at the moment. So, there didn’t seem to be a reason to make such a fuss over it in the first place.

But, of course, there was always another problem just over the horizon.

“I’m surprised Captain Rex isn’t more worried,” said Kano. “I thought he’d be as frantic as Skywalker, but he’s taking this pretty well.”

Coric, Denal, and Fives all shared subtle glances. They were the only ones that knew the reason why Rex wasn’t ripping his hair out.

Sure that he knew something they didn’t, the trio had confronted the Captain about it on the journey back from Felucia.

“Do you know where the Commander is, sir?” Denal had asked him after they’d cornered him in a supply closet in the barracks. “Can you sense her?”

Rex had waved him off. “It – I don’t think it works like that,” he’d said. “Sensing her while we’re on the same ship is one thing, but she could be halfway across the galaxy right now.”

“But you know she’s okay?” Fives prompted.

“I . . .” he frowned. “I think so, yeah. But she’s still on her own and we don’t know who has her. Things aren’t as bad as they could be. But they could be a lot better, too.”

“You think we’ll find her?” Coric asked.

“Yeah. Or she’ll find her own way back,” Rex nodded. And he sounded absolutely certain of that. As if it was an indisputable fact.

“I’ll tell ya what,” Jesse said, snapping Coric back to the present, “I wish I had his confidence sometimes. There’s no doubt in his mind that everything’ll be alright. And if there is, I haven’t seen it.”

“He’s the Captain,” Vaughn reasoned. “Of course he’s keeping up that act. There’s no telling what he’s really thinking.”

“When you know Rex for long enough, you can tell when he really believes something and when he’s acting,” Jesse said. “If he’s acting this time, he’s gotten damn good at it.”

“Rex has a lot of faith in Skywalker and Ahsoka,” Fives said, clearly looking to steer them out of dangerous waters. “Don’t see what’s wrong with that.”

“I guess you’re right,” Jesse shrugged. “It just . . . feels like he knows something we don’t.”

“Where _is_ Rex, anyway?” Kano asked, looking around. “He ain’t here.”

“He’s almost _never_ here,” Denal corrected. “The Captain’s not very fond of the bar atmosphere.”

“I think Rex had a meeting with some of the Coruscant Guard boys,” Coric said.

Rex had been having a lot of ‘meetings’ lately. With Skywalker, with the 104th, with the Special Operations Brigade, and now with the Coruscant Guard. Some of those meetings were probably about organizing the search for Commander Tano, but Coric had a strange feeling that there was something else going on. The Special Operations Brigade? That seemed a bit excessive. And what was the Coruscant Guard going to do to help?

Coric wasn’t sure, but he figured he should keep quiet about it. Rex was far from the average clone captain – he had a lot going on, and not all of it was strictly regulation. But that was his business. And Coric certainly wasn’t going to get him in trouble over it. Not if it meant demotion or decommissioning.

“Well, if the Captain would rather hang out with those bucket-heads in the Guard than have fun with us at the bar, then so be it,” Jesse said, taking another swig.

“Jesse, you’re drunk already,” Vaughn said.

“Isn’t that the point of coming here?”

“I thought we came here to destress after a tough campaign and having our Jedi Commander go missing,” Tup interjected.

“Personally, I think we come here so we’re kept drunk, chummy, and mindlessly content, so we’re more easily controlled by the GAR and the Senate,” mumbled Denal.

Everyone stared at him.

“Oh. Did I say that out loud?” He looked at the glass in front of him and sighed. “Guess I’ve had one too many of these. Maybe it’s time to turn in.”

“What are you talkin’ about?” Fives asked, raising an eyebrow as he checked the chronometer on his forearm. “It’s only twenty-forty-five – the night’s still young.”

“Maybe,” said Denal slipping past Dogma and Vill to stand up. “But I’m not. ‘Night, all. Comm me if we get any word on the Commander while I’m asleep.”

“Will do, _vod_ ,” Coric assured him, giving the man a polite nod.

“What the hell was _that_ about?” asked Vaughn, glancing around at the others.

“It sounded a bit treasonous to me,” Dogma said.

“Cool your jets, Dogma,” Coric intervened. “He’s had one too many; he said it himself.” The last thing he needed was some rookie telling tales on Denal to the higherups. The 501st was pretty loose with rules; that’s just how it was with Skywalker as their General. No need to mess up a good thing.

“He’s probably just been slicing a little too much,” Kano said. “That’s why I usually just stay off the HoloNet altogether.”

“If you say so,” said Dogma, though he was still frowning.

_Hell. When is he not?_

* * *

“So . . . you know too, right?” Rex asked, giving Wolffe the side-eye as he reached out and pressed the buzzer next to the door.

“’Course I do,” his brother replied. “The Wolfpack has a way of finding things out. Don’t worry – Cody still doesn’t know, so you don’t owe him anything.”

The pair stood in the deserted hallway of one of the richer apartment buildings in the residential district, their helmets clipped to their belts as they waited for the door in front of them to open.

“I’m just checking,” Rex said, holding up both hands. “Because the last thing I need is Fox getting on my case about being loose li –”

And then the door slid open, revealing the comparatively small form of Senator Riyo Chuchi. “Captain Rex,” she said, looking up at him, “please – come in.” And she stepped aside, allowing Rex and Wolffe to step into her apartment.

“I, er, take it you know why we’re here?” asked Wolffe.

“Of course,” Riyo said, leading them over to the sitting area on the opposite side of the apartment. “I heard as soon as you all returned from Felucia. Has there been any progress in locating Ahsoka?”

As they drew closer, Rex realized that there were several Coruscant Guard clones sitting around on the chairs and couches and relaxing. Fox, Thire, Stone, Thorn, Korbel, and Kagi. It seemed that most of the command structure of the Guard was there.

“We’re making some progress, ma’am,” Rex said, “but we haven’t managed to turn anything up quite yet.” Much to his own dismay. He still believed that Ahsoka would make it back in one piece – either by her own volition or through being rescued – but that didn’t mean he was going to stop searching.

“Rex, Wolffe,” said Stone, waving as they joined the main group. “It’s good to see you two. Frontlines keeping you busy?”

“As ever,” Wolffe nodded. “Coruscant life keeping you bored?”

“As ever.”

Rex and Wolffe stood behind the couch, upon which Fox sat. Riyo circled it and joined him, sitting close as she tucked an arm around his side and leaned her head on his chestplate. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

It was still a surreal thing to think about, let alone _see_. A clone commander and a galactic senator. Together. Romantically. It was enough to just about fry Rex’s brain, and that was after having known about it for a few months, now. He wasn’t sure if it was something he was just supposed to get used to or that would catch him off guard all the time. Probably the latter.

And yet, looking at them made him feel strangely . . . lonely.

_Stop that. Not now. Focus on Ahsoka._

But that only seemed to make him feel worse.

“What’re you two here for?” asked Kagi from his position reclining in a large, fluffy chair adjacent to the couch. “Not that I don’t enjoy your company, but you’re interrupting holovid night.”

Fox looked up and behind him. “I take it this isn’t a social call?” he asked.

“Afraid not,” Rex said, shaking his head both in order to clear his thoughts and answer Fox’s question. “Did you –?”

“I did,” he cut him off, nodding. “Riyo told me as soon as she heard.” He gestured with his free hand to the other men in the room. “We’ve been putting out feelers into the Coruscant underworld – paying informants, ‘visiting’ suspected traffickers, rooting out possible Separatist allies – that sort of thing.”

“And?” Rex asked. He couldn’t kid himself and say that he suspected Ahsoka was on Coruscant; especially since he knew he’d be able to sense her if she was that close at hand.

But he could at least hope.

“And nothing,” shrugged Thorn, who was leaning against the floor-to-ceiling window across from the couch. “Yet. Don’t worry, though. We’re being as thorough as possible. We’re doing our best to sweep level by level, but it’s slow going.”

“Someone here’s gotta know something,” Thire reasoned. “Even if she’s not here, someone’ll know who took her or where she’s being held. A kidnapped Jedi isn’t something that stays quiet for long.”

Rex frowned, running a hand over his chin. He knew that Thire’s reasoning was sound, but it still wasn’t good news. At least they were looking. That was something.

“Thank you for searching,” Wolffe said. “Commander Tano’s like extended family to us in the One-Oh-Fourth because of her relationship with General Plo.”

“It’s no trouble, _vod_ ,” Korbel said, waving him off. “We might not have a Jedi General to report to, but that doesn’t mean we don’t respect those of us who do. They’re too important to let something like this happen.”

“Plus it’s nice to have something to do besides guard a bunch of senators or break up an anti-war protest every now and then,” Kagi added. He blanched, glancing over at Riyo. “Er, no offense, ma’am.”

“None taken,” Riyo said. “I appreciate your efforts as well, and I do hope they lead to something substantial.”

“Personally,” Fox said, “I have my doubts.”

Everyone stared at him.

“Why is that?” asked Riyo, looking confused.

“I think we’re looking in the wrong places,” Fox explained, frowning. “Things aren’t adding up. It's been two days and not one of our spies have heard anything. Not even the SOB boys have managed to locate her, and they’re nearly always on top of anything Seppie related. I think we’re dealing with an outside party here.”

“Who do you think, then?” Rex asked. “Pirates?”

If that was the case, then they were already ahead in that regard. General Kenobi had dispatched Cody and two of his lieutenants – Waxer and Boil – to Florrum so they could interrogate Hondo Ohnaka and his gang of Weequays.

But Stone shook his head. “No. Definitely not. Take it from someone who’s dealt with them firsthand: pirates aren’t known for their patience. We would’ve gotten a ransom call by now.”

“I agree,” Fox said. “I’m thinking . . . other channels. The Hutts force people into slavery all the time. Zygerrians do the same. Trandoshans kidnap people all the time for sport. I think that’s where we ought to be focusing our efforts.”

“But the Hutts are our allies,” Riyo pointed out. “They wouldn’t kidnap a Jedi after we helped them.”

“We could cross them off the list,” Fox said. “Unless it’s some rogue Hutt like Ziro. Even if it’s not, I wouldn’t put it past them. They’re crime lords – this kinda comes with the territory.” He looked up at Rex and Wolffe. “If I were you, I’d focus my search efforts on the Expansion Region, Mid Rim, and Outer Rim.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Rex said. “How do you know about all this?”

Fox shrugged. “I’m trained in tracking and search and rescue,” he explained. “Plus I have plenty of time on my hands to browse the HoloNet.”

_Ah._

“If you say so,” Rex said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “Perhaps we’ll shift our focus.”

“I can probably get some boys together to go and check out the Zygerrians and known Trandoshan hunting grounds,” Wolffe said. “See if that turns anything up.”

“Excellent, Commander,” Riyo nodded. “I’m sure you’ll find something.”

“Wish I could go with,” Thorn said. “Been a while since I was assigned off-world escort duty.”

“Cross your fingers,” Thire said. “Maybe you’ll get lucky one of these days.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Restless Spirits - The Last of Us Part 2 Soundtrack
> 
> Denal is W O K E.
> 
> Also had to check in on Riyo since she hasn't been around for a little while.


	25. Pin

**Jedi Temple, Coruscant**

Anakin and Master Plo both walked across the landing pad towards the strange crew that had asked for permission to land there – escorted by Commander Wolffe – only an hour before. Anakin recognized the ship. It was called the _Halo_ , belonging to the bounty hunter named Sugi. He’d met her and her crew once before on Felucia while helping out some farmers.

Around the ship, Anakin saw several Wookiees, along with Sugi and her crew – who were in discussion with Master Windu and Master Yoda. There were also what looked to be a few disheveled, dirty-looking Padawans. And . . .

And he’d recognize those headtails anywhere.

“Ahsoka!” Anakin said, quickening his pace and leaving Master Plo behind as he jogged forward to meet her. She was covered in dirt, looked ragged, and was exchanging words with a tall Wookie wearing a bandolier. But the important thing was that she was _alive_. He made his way up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, resisting the urge to draw her in close for a bone-crushing hug. There were too many people – too many Jedi – around for that.

“It is good to see you safe, Ahsoka,” said Master Plo, who had kept pace slightly behind Anakin. While it was subtle, he was sure he detected a hint of pride in the venerable Jedi’s deep voice. And then he had moved off to check on the two other Padawans; a Twi’lek and a Cerean.

“Ahsoka,” Anakin said, lowering his voice slightly as he removed his hands from her shoulders and glanced away, “I am _so_ sorry.” He let her get taken. He wasn’t able to find her.

“For what?” she asked, cocking her head. She sounded _confused_.

“For letting you go,” Anakin said, “for letting you get _taken_.” He placed one hand on her shoulder again. “It was _my_ fault.”

“No, Master,” Ahsoka said, shaking her head. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“I-I should’ve paid more attention,” Anakin said. She didn’t get it. “I should’ve tried _harder_. I –”

“You already did everything you could,” Ahsoka interrupted him. “Everything you had to do.” Anakin forced himself to look her in the eyes again, almost afraid that he’d see resentment or betrayal there. But there was none of that. There was . . . gratitude? “When I was out there, alone, all I had was your training. And the lessons you taught me. And because of you, I did survive. And not only that, I was able to lead others to survive as well.”

She looked so pleased with herself. Despite whatever ordeal she’d surely been through. He’d have to ask her about it later.

“I don’t know what to say,” Anakin admitted, taking a step back.

“I do,” Ahsoka smiled, looking up at him. She bowed slightly, clasping her hands in front of her. “Thank you, Master.”

Anakin smiled back, mimicking her movements. “You’re welcome, my Padawan.”

Maybe he had done alright after all.

* * *

“What do you think, sir?” asked Appo, showing Rex the hologram emanating from the device he held in his hand.

The two of them, along with Drayk, Coric, and Jesse were standing in a cluster in the main lobby of the 501st’s barracks, looking at the schematics for the new armor set that was supposed to be issued soon. ‘Phase II,’ it was labeled.

“Hm,” Jesse said, one hand scratching his chin. “Looks like Fives’ ARC trooper armor.”

“Except without all that fancy survival gear,” Coric said. “I kinda like the new visor. Looks intimidating. What do you two think?” He looked over at Rex and Drayk.

Drayk shrugged. “Looks good to me,” he said. “If it’s more ergonomic and comfortable to wear and fight in, I’d say it’s an improvement. Looks like there’s more freedom around the joints. Rex?”

“Hm,” he grunted, shaking his head. “I dunno. The armor might be lighter, but that means we’re sacrificing durability. The chestplate looks thinner, meaning we’re more vulnerable. I also can’t say I’m a fan of the fact that our helmets won’t be have their own air supply anymore.” He pointed to a line of text that accompanied the diagram. “I don’t like trading protection for comfort.”

“If you say so,” Appo said, shrugging. “In any case, the new model’ll be more customizable. They’re coming out with several specialized variations for pilots, AR-RT drivers, engineers, BARC drivers, and SCUBA troopers as well. Plenty others, too.”

“Hopefully it’s a net positive,” Drayk said. “I’m all for upgrades.”

“Our shipment’s scheduled to come in within the week,” Appo said. “We’ll probably get the new gear before our next deployment.”

“At least we’ll get to test it out,” Jesse said. “See if it’s really all it’s cracked up to be.”

Coric cleared his throat. “Er, Captain Rex?”

Rex looked over at him. “Yes?”

Coric grinned. “I think we have a visitor.” He gestured over Rex’s shoulder and the Captain turned to see what he was looking at.

The pneumatic doors that allowed entry into the barrack’s lobby had opened. Ahsoka had stepped inside. She looked totally fine, aside from perhaps being a little tired. She was spotless, which undoubtedly meant she’d made a pitstop to the ‘fresher before stopping by. Not that he could blame her; she’d been missing for over four days. No doubt plenty had happened to get her dirtier than she’d like. He heard the rumor that she and some other Jedi Younglings had been found on some backwater planet by some bounty hunters and Wookiees, but he wasn’t about to believe it until he saw her with his own eyes.

But here she was.

Rex, ignoring his brothers, turned his full attention on her. _She’s alive! She’s okay!_ He crossed over to her in three quick strides.

She looked up at him, grinning. “Hey, Rexter. Wh – oof!” She didn’t get to finish, as Rex wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close for a bone-crushing hug, lifting her up off her feet in the process. “Woah!” she said, grinning as Rex put her down and stepped back, feeling suddenly awkward. “Looks like someone really missed me.”

“Yeah, you could . . . you could say that,” Rex mumbled.

“Commander, you’re back!” said Drayk, moving closer along with the others.

“Good to see you in one piece, ma’am,” Jesse said.

“Where’ve you been?” Coric asked. “Do you need a medical exam?”

“I’m fine, Coric,” Ahsoka said, turning her attention to the men. “Just a few scrapes and bruises. I promise I’ll be fine. I was on Wasskah; got captured by some Trandoshans that tried to hunt me down. But I got the better of ‘em.”

“Trandoshans?” asked Rex. Looks like Fox had been onto something after all.

“By yourself?” questioned Appo.

“Well, no,” Ahsoka admitted. “I had some help.” She sighed. “Listen, I need to get some rest, so how about I just tell Rex about it and he can relay the story to all of you. That sound okay?”

“Of course, ma’am,” Jesse nodded. “We’ll get out of your hair – er – headtails.”

“Come on, boys,” Coric said, gesturing for the group to move along. “Let’s get going.” He eyed Ahsoka again. “But I’d better see you before long so I can give you a proper checkup.”

Ahsoka laughed. “If you say so, Coric. See you around!”

As the clones walked out of the lobby, Rex and Ahsoka made for an adjacent hallway; one that led away from the main area and back toward Rex’s office. If they wanted to talk in private, it was best to do it there.

“So,” Rex said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them. “You were on . . . Wassa?”

“Wasskah,” Ahsoka corrected. “The name comes from the Wookiees.”

“Ah. That explains it.” Silence fell again. Questions were gnawing at Rex, along with an extremely intense and – _luckily_ – suppressed urge to pick up Ahsoka, take her to his office and sit there holding her for as long as possible. He wanted to touch her. Feel her. Know that she was safe and had returned and would be okay.

“Rex.”

“Hm?”

“I can _feel you_ ,” Ahsoka said in a singsong voice. It was pretty.

_Stop that._

“Er, what do you mean?” Rex asked raising an eyebrow.

“I can feel all the questions rocketing around in your skull,” Ahsoka explained, looking up at him. “It’s like your brain is on fire.”

“Oh,” Rex said, suddenly sheepish. He’d forgotten about their Bond. That she knew what was going on inside his head. Kind of. “I’m, er, I’m sorry about that. I–I can’t help it. I’m just glad that your back safe and sound and I want to know what happened while you were away.”

“Aw,” Ahsoka said, smiling. “You’re sweet, Rex. You really are.”

His cheeks burned.

They reached Rex’s office not long after. The pair of them slipped inside and Rex shut the door behind them; he didn’t want to be interrupted by anything trivial when Ahsoka had only just returned. When he turned back into the room, Ahsoka had boosted herself up onto Rex’s desk was sitting on it, looking at him.

“Well,” she said. “Fire away. Let’s get some of those questions out of your head.”

He crossed over to her, placing his hands on his hips. “Er, okay,” he said. “How were you taken?”

“I was the last one behind the clanker’s base on Felucia,” Ahsoka explained. “The Wolfpack boys had all made the ascent and I was about to join them, but an energy field shot out of the foliage and wrapped around me. I think it was some kind of . . . electrified net. I didn’t have time to react, because it stunned me pretty much right away. I blacked out after that.”

“ _Osik_ ,” Rex muttered, placing a hand on her shoulder. “What happened then?”

Ahsoka frowned, sagging slightly. “I woke up in a cage,” she said. “On a ship with a bunch of other prisoners of all species. Some Trandoshan broke my commlink, so I couldn’t call for help. They took my lightsabers, too. They dropped us off on some island and started shooting at us from their ship. Some beings died, some got away, like me. After that, I ran into three Jedi Younglings that were stuck there. They took me with them.”

“Were those the other kids they found you with?” Rex asked, circling around to the other side of the desk and sitting in his chair.

“Yeah,” Ahsoka said, shifting around so that she was sitting close to him once more. “Kalifa, Jinx, and O-Mer. They took me to where they’d been hiding out and told me what was going on. Apparently, there used to be even more of them, but they’d been picked off one-by-one while they were there. Kalifa . . . Kalifa didn’t make it.” Ahsoka looked away. “One of the Trandoshans shot her while we were trying to escape from them.”

“Oh,” Rex said. “I’m sorry about that, Ahsoka.” She’d surely taken that hard. If she was sad whenever clones died, then the death of a Jedi – a girl probably close to her own age – must’ve not gone over well.

He tried something he’d never done before. He reached out to her through their Bond, slipping past the mental barrier she used to protect her mind – that she lowered for him – and did his best to push a feeling of comfort. Security. Safety.

Ahsoka closed her eyes and sighed, a small smile passing over her lips. “Thanks, Rex,” she said. “I needed that.” Her mouth twisted. “Can I . . . Can I have another hug?”

“Of course.”

She hopped off the desk and directly onto Rex, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing him as tightly as she could. The Togruta sighed again. “It’s been a long couple of days,” she said, nestling into his armor as best he could.

“I know, littl’un. I know,” Rex whispered, hugging her back. He rubbed her rear headtail in what he hoped was a comforting manner.

“I, uh . . . I had to kill again,” Ahsoka admitted. “A few Trandoshans. I . . . I know they’d kill me if I didn’t, but . . .”

“But it was still hard,” Rex finished for her.

“Yeah.”

“It’s okay,” he assured her. “You did what you had to do. If you didn’t, you’d probably be dead by now. How did you escape?”

“They tried dropping off more prisoners and we attacked their transport,” Ahsoka said. “We, uh, crashed it. Rescued a Wookiee called Chewbacca and he helped us put together a makeshift signal booster. We got a message out and apparently Chewbacca’s clan heard it. When we went after the Trandoshan’s main base, the bounty hunters and Wookiees showed up to help us.”

“Sounds lucky,” Rex mused. It sounded like quite the adventure.

“You could say that.”

“I’m glad you made it back safe, Ahsoka,” Rex said.

Ahsoka gave a small laugh. “Me too. There was a time or two when I wasn’t sure I was going to make it, personally.”

“I never thought that,” Rex said. And he hadn’t. There wasn’t a single moment over the last few days when he’d thought that Ahsoka was _not_ coming back. Had he been worried? Of course. But he was sure that either he or Skywalker would find her. Or she’d make her own way back. And in the end, that was exactly what she did.

He had faith in her. Maybe too much.

“Wow,” Ahsoka said, smiling slightly as she pulled away in order to look Rex in the eyes. “I’m not even sure that _Skyguy_ believed that much. He was practically a wreck when he first saw me.”

“Yeah, well, you know him,” Rex said. “Always trying to protect everyone around him whether they need it or not.” He really felt bad for his General sometimes. He was more emotion than any other Jedi he’d ever met – save Ahsoka, of course – and that seemed to get in his way every now and then. That wasn’t to say some of his woes weren’t justified, but they really did get the better of him more often than not.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Ahsoka nodded. And she cuddled right back into Rex’s chest. “It’s good to be back.”

“It’s good to have you back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pin - Hippo Campus
> 
> All's well that ends well. For the most part.


	26. Born to Be Needed

**Anakin and Ahsoka’s quarters, Jedi Temple**

“Thanks for coming, girls. I really needed this,” Ahsoka said, grinning as she looked around at the other Padawans assembled with her.

Barriss, Trilla, and Sanya had come to her and Anakin’s quarters and asked if it was alright to spend some time with her. Ahsoka had, of course, agreed. After being trapped on a nearly deserted island and hunted by Trandoshans for days on end, she needed some relaxing time with her friends.

“Are you sure your Master won’t mind?” Sanya had asked.

“Nah, he probably won’t be around tonight. Senate business or something.” As usual, Anakin wasn’t spending a whole lot of time actually _in_ his quarters. Ahsoka always wondered where he went, but he’d never give her a straight answer. She’d get it out of him someday, though.

At the moment, the four girls were splayed out on the couch, watching some romantic holovid projected onto the opposite wall. Truthfully, Ahsoka wasn’t super interested in the movie; she was just fine with sitting around and catching up with her friends. It was a real shame that Riyo couldn’t be there, but having non-Jedi loose inside the Temple was usually frowned upon. And besides, she apparently was having one of her rare date nights with Fox, so there was no getting around that.

“Of course, Ahsoka,” said Trilla. “It’s good to have you back.”

“Sorry I haven’t been around much lately,” Ahsoka said. “How have things been with you guys?”

“Not much for me,” Sanya said. “I heard about most current events second-hand. Sanya didn’t see much action in the field, since she was part of the AgriCorps, but she still hung around Tyzen and Commander Ganch.

“I’ve been to a couple of planets,” Trilla said. “But mostly I’ve been on Coruscant lately. Not a whole lot going on.”

Barriss glanced away. “I’ve been helping on medical frigates and stations; helping treat wounded civilians and clones. It . . . It has been hard. Seeing so much suffering and pain. I haven’t been able to save everyone despite my training.”

“Oh,” Ahsoka said, reaching out and placing a comforting hand on Barriss’ shoulder. “I’m sorry to hear that. I wish it was possible to save everyone too, but sometimes that’s just not possible. I hope you’re not beating yourself up over it too much.”

“It is . . . hard not to sometimes,” Barriss said, frowning. “And . . . at times I wonder if I am doing the right thing at all.”

“How’s that?” Trilla asked, cocking her head.

Barriss sighed. “It seems that for every clone trooper or civilian I save, two more are killed. And even those that I help don’t always make it. There was one clone – I did not even know his name – CT-Nine-Fourteen. I healed a brain injury that he had incurred on Drongar. He was killed in battle only a few days later.”

“That’s terrible,” Sanya lamented.

Ahsoka sighed. “Stuff like that is only going to keep happening as long as we’re locked in this war,” she said.

“I wish we weren’t,” Barriss said. “I fear that it’s making things difficult for us as Jedi.”

“It’s making things difficult for everyone,” Ahsoka pointed out. “As Jedi, it’s our job to bear the responsibility of that, isn’t it? To protect those who can’t protect themselves?”

“I suppose,” muttered Barriss. “But I feel as though we are going about it the wrong way.”

“We don’t have to enjoy the fighting,” Trilla said, “but we still have to participate in it.” Which was rich, coming from her. Ahsoka was sure that Trilla secretly enjoyed the thrill of combat. She was always buoyed up after a training match and seemed to be pretty gung-ho about heading off on missions. Not all that dissimilar to how Anakin acted sometimes.

“I suppose,” said Barriss, though she still looked troubled.

“Everyone goes through rough patches,” Ahsoka assured her. “You’ll come out the other side alright. I’ve had my share of ups and downs too; both emotional and physical.”

“I’m sure days trapped on an island in the middle of nowhere was one of those moments,” Trilla grinned.

“We were worried when we heard what had happened,” Sanya said, hugging a pillow to her chest as she divided her attention between Ahsoka and the holovid. “Or at least, I was.”

“We were all worried, of course,” Barriss affirmed, setting the record straight.

“Well, it wasn’t the first time I’ve been captured by the enemy,” Ahsoka said. “And I doubt it’ll be the last.”

“I suppose,” Barriss said. “But it was different this time. No one knew where you were or who had you. You just disappeared.”

“Master Skywalker was very worried,” Trilla reported. “It was hard not to buy into his fears sometimes. Especially since he himself usually never gives up.”

“Well . . . I’m glad you all care about me, at least,” Ahsoka grinned. “I don’t know what I’d do without friends like you.”

“Neither do I,” said Sanya.

“There were plenty of people trying to find you,” Trilla said. “Master Plo, Skywalker, and that clone captain of yours. His name’s . . . Rex, right?” She arched an eyebrow at Ahsoka. “He was pretty invested if you ask me.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ahsoka asked.

“Well,” Trilla said, grinning, “I’d say he went above and beyond the call of duty. While Skywalker was crossing possible planets off the list of places you could be, Captain Rex had a meeting with the Special Operations Brigade and the Coruscant Guard. Apparently, he wanted to check in with them and help their search for any rumors about you.”

“What?” Ahsoka asked. “How would you know that?”

Trilla shrugged. “I know people. I hear things.”

“If you say so.”

“Sounds like he was pretty invested in finding you,” Trilla said, an odd tone in her voice.

“What are you insinuating?” Barriss asked, looking troubled.

“I just think Captain Rex might have a little more than a soft spot for our ‘Soka,” Trilla told her.

_What?_

_No way . . ._

Ahsoka knew her montrals must have changed their striping because she could feel a sudden burning in her cheeks and headtails.

Sure, Rex cared about her. They were friends. Great friends. It didn’t go any further than that. Or . . . did it?

“Surely not,” Barriss gasped, looking shocked. “That’s . . . That’s not normal. And surely it’s forbidden!” Naturally Barriss – just as much of a stickler for the Jedi Code as her Master – would balk at the very idea of someone having a crush on a Jedi. Especially a clone trooper.

“Maybe,” Sanya said, “but normal people don’t necessarily have control over their emotions. Sometimes people can’t control how they feel.”

“Why are we talking about this like it’s a fact?” Ahsoka asked. Surely this was just Trilla stirring the pot like usual. _Right?_ “There’s no way that’s true.”

“I dunno, Ahsoka,” Trilla said, winking. “I’ve heard that you had an interesting time with a certain senator’s kid.”

“What?” demanded both Sanya and Barriss, looking around at Ahsoka in shock.

Her own mouth fell open in surprise. “How do you know about that?”

Trilla laughed. “I didn’t for sure. Not until you just confirmed it, anyway.” Ahsoka glared at her, so she continued. “I heard it from Jek who heard it from Thire who heard it from Thorne who overheard that protocol droid C-Threepio prattling on about it.”

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. _The Coruscant Guard. Shouldn’t they know a thing or two about keeping secrets?_ They’d been doing an alright job for Fox and Riyo. Why couldn’t Ahsoka expect the same treatment?

“So it’s true?” Barriss gasped, her eyes wide. “Ahsoka!”

“It’s not what you think,” Ahsoka protested, bringing both her hands; palms flat. “Nothing happened! We just, I dunno . . . hit it off pretty well, I guess.”

“But wasn’t his mother a Separatist?” Sanya asked.

“Well, yes,” Ahsoka said, “but he actually wasn’t that bad. And neither was she. I just, uh . . . they seemed nice.”

“I bet,” Trilla said, smirking.

“I know that look, Trilla.”

“I know you do.”

“Nothing happened,” Ahsoka maintained.

“You kinda like him, though, don’t you? Think he’s charming?” Trilla pushed, leaning over. “I can _tell_.”

Ahsoka blushed again and looked away, losing the staring contest. “Maybe. I don’t know.”

“Ha!” Trilla cried, pulling back. “I knew it.”

“Whatever.”

“But it’s not like Ahsoka can pursue anything,” Barriss pointed out, apparently attempting to be the voice of reason. “It’s against the Jedi Code.”

“I know,” Ahsoka said, sighing. “Still . . . I guess it’s nice to feel things like that every now and then. You know, remind yourself that someone might want you even if there’s no chance that anything’ll happen.”

“I guess you’re right,” Sanya said, sighing and looking back at the holovid. “That would be nice.”

“Ahsoka’s got two boys on her tail,” Trilla teased. “Would that we could all be so lucky.”

“Hey, that’s unconfirmed,” Ahsoka shot back. Then she grinned, bearing her fangs. “And what can I say? Guess I was born to be needed.”

* * *

“What’s with that? Looking a little underdressed tonight, don’t you think, Captain?”

It was Tacks who had spoken. He, along with Rex, Drayk, Ganch, Bly, Lock, Levet, Gree, and Kagi, were crammed into a circular table at 79’s, nursing various alcoholic drinks. Aside from Rex, of course. Traffic in the bar was light that night. It was only them and a few boys from the 501st, 327th, and 41st, along with a few non-clone patrons. Everyone except Rex wore the new Phase 2 armor. It had only been issued that very morning and most of the other clone units had already converted, customized, and painted their new gear. Rex still wore Phase 1.

“The Captain has a few issues with the new suits,” Drayk explained. “Doesn’t think they’re up to snuff or something.”

“Really?” asked Gree, knocking on his chestplate. “Feels fine to me.”

“I don’t think the quality is the same,” Rex said. “I think there’re too many shortcomings. Trading protection for comfort. I’d rather be uncomfortable and alive than comfortable and dead.”

“What exactly are your issues?” Lock asked, shrugging.

“The armor’s slimmer and I feel like it’s less protective,” Rex listed off, “we don’t have a dedicated air supply, I don’t like the visor shape, and I think the helmet tech isn’t as good. Don’t get me wrong, I like the freedom of movement and the lighter weight, but I don’t want to trade that for better protection.” Even after he’d had the opportunity to try on the new suit and test it out a bit, it still just . . . didn’t feel totally right. He didn’t like it.

“Don’t you think it’ll be a little odd if everyone’s wearing the new stuff while you’re still stuck with old tech?” asked Kagi. “Kinda messes with the overall feel, ya know?”

“Well I’m not switching over purely for cosmetic reasons,” Rex objected. “That’s inefficient, vain, and foolish.”

“Look, Rex,” Drayk said, raising his hands in exasperation, “you’ve got to switch over to the new gear. It’s regulation now and they’ll probably stop making the old stuff, which means you won’t be able to get replacement parts easily. You’ll just be handicapping yourself if you get injured or your gear gets damaged.”

He did have a point there. Not that Rex necessarily liked it. He grunted noncommittally.

“Stop being stubborn,” said Bly, waving one hand. “You’ll have to do it eventually. Might as well be now. Besides, you just sound like a crabby old man.”

“Why don’t you just . . . I dunno . . . change the armor?” suggested Ganch.

Rex raised an eyebrow. “Change the armor?”

“Yeah,” Ganch nodded. “Change it. Wear the new gear but keep elements of your original kit. For example, if you like the arms, wear the new stuff. If you don’t like the legs, wear Phase 1. Mix and match.”

Rex thought about that for a moment. _Mix and match?_ An idea came to him. Perhaps he’d do just that . . . But a little more drastically. He’d stand out in a crowd, that was for sure, but it’d be worth it if he kept his kit up to what he felt was his usual standard.

“Yeah . . .” he said, slowly. “Maybe I will do something like that . . .”

“There’s a good man,” Drayk said, clapping him on the shoulder. “Good to know you’re willing to compromise at the very least.”

“Don’t start thinking I’m going soft, now,” Rex warned, cocking one eyebrow.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Speaking of going soft,” said Gree with a grin, “why don’t you tell everyone what you’ve been up to lately, Bly?” All eyes turned toward the Commander, who suddenly went red and scowled. The sudden change in color made the yellow tattoos on his cheeks all the more prominent.

“What exactly is that supposed to mean?” asked Levet, raising an eyebrow.

“Nothing,” said Bly emphatically.

Rex didn’t buy that for a second. Apparently, nobody else did either.

“ _Come on_ ,” Kagi prodded. “We already know something’s up. You gotta tell us now.”

“I’ll give you a hint,” Gree said, earning himself a death glare. “It’s got something to do with a certain Jedi General.”

The table fell silent.

“What? B-but . . . you . . .” Drayk spluttered.

“No _way_ ,” said Levet, shaking his head.

“You – you _cracked it_?” demanded Lock, half rising out of his seat. “Is he serious?”

Bly grit his teeth almost audibly. “This is not something we should be discussing right now,” he said, suddenly all business. “We’re in a public setting.”

“He did!” gasped Kagi. “Holy shit!”

And then half the table burst out laughing.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Rex said, holding up his hands. He could hardly believe his ears. He leaned in and lowered his voice slightly. “So, let me get this straight: you’re telling me that Bly actually got with General Secura?”

“You bet,” nodded Gree. But Rex paid him no mind. He wanted to hear it from Bly himself.

“Bly?”

The other clone didn’t meet his gaze. Still blushing furiously, he looked away before mumbling something unintelligible under his breath.

“What was that?” prompted Ganch. “Couldn’t quite hear you.”

“I said yes!” shot back Bly, looking mutinous. “Yes I did.”

Rex sat back. _Wow. I . . . did not ever expect_ that _to happen._ He’d always assumed that whatever puppy love Bly had for General Secura was just that. He never thought that one day the clone would actually get what he was after.

“So,” said Lock, “what exactly happened? Was it just a hookup or –”

“No!” objected Bly. And Rex believed him. He doubted that Secura would break the Jedi Code on a whim. There had to be actual feelings behind whatever was going on here. And that only made things all the stranger.

_A Jedi and a clone. Who would’ve thought it?_

Fox and Riyo had been one thing, as had Cut and Suu. This was on an entirely new level. A Jedi and a clone. Together. Rex felt like he was breaking fifty regulations by even _thinking_ about such a thing.

“And I thought Fox was reckless,” Rex muttered. “Bly, you can’t be serious.”

“I, er . . . I am,” Bly said, gathering himself.

“How could you do something like this?” he sounded almost frantic now, and he knew it.

“Lighten up, Rex,” Kagi said, waving him off. “You’ve been hanging around Cody so much you sound almost exactly like him.”

“In this case, I don’t think that’s a bad thing,” Rex said. “A crush on a Jedi is one thing, but an _actual relationship_? This has got to be taking things too far.”

“You’re one to talk, Rex,” Gree said.

“What’s that supposed to –”

“And how do you know it’s a ‘relationship?’” Kagi asked, putting air-quotes around the word ‘relationship.’ “For all we know, Bly here is just a late-night bo –”

“Hey!” Bly cut in, half rising out of his seat.

“Alright!” Kagi backpedaled, raising his hands in surrender. “Maybe not.”

“You and General Secura are actually . . . dating?” Lock asked, as though just trying to confirm.

Bly sighed, running a hand over his eyes. “Yes, Lock,” he said, tiredly. “We are.”

“How did that happen?” asked Ganch.

Rex leaned in. He had to hear this for himself.

“It was about a month ago on Anzat,” Bly explained. “The General and I were trapped behind enemy lines for several days; we’d lost our squad to droids while on a mission and it was just the two of us in a rocky wasteland.”

“Romantic,” Drayk quipped.

“Actually, it kinda was,” Bly shot back. “I was injured; she used the Force to heal me. I saved her from some huge, carnivorous mammal that was pursuing us. We had a lot of time to ourselves. We talked and –”

“Confessed your undying love for each other?” teased Lock.

“Probably a couple other more serious things, if you catch my drift,” said Kagi, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Look, whatever was said or not said and done or not done isn’t any of your business,” Bly said, scowling. He hadn’t exactly answered the question. “The point is: yes, she and I are together now. Code or no Code. Regulations or no regulations.”

None of them spoke for a few moments as they all digested the information. It actually happened. Bly’s pipe dream crush on General Secura had somehow become a reality. A clone and a Jedi. Who would’ve thought? Not Rex, that was for sure. They were playing with fire, though. Surely they had to know that.

“Don’t you think this is dangerous?” Rex asked. “I mean, the consequences –”

“I know, Rex,” Bly said. “But it does not matter. Not to me.”

Why was everyone saying that? Him, Fox, Cut. None of them cared what would happen if they got caught. Well, Cut had. But only because Rex threatened to actually turn him in. Why? Was it really . . . worth the risk? Was _Rex_ the crazy one? Not them? What was it that he was missing out on, exactly?

“Hey,” Ganch shrugged. “If the guy wants to have his fun, let him have his fun. A clone’s life is short, ya know. Either we die on the battlefield here and now or around fifty years before most other bipeds.”

“Sounds like a little more than ‘fun,’” Lock said. “If the General was willing to break the Jedi Code for him, she’s gotta be just as smitten as he is.”

“Is that even possible?” Drayk asked.

“You guys are the worst,” Bly grunted, shaking his head.

“Ah, calm down, _vod_ ,” Gree said, patting the other clone on his shoulder. “We’re just bustin' on ya. No need to get bent out of shape over it. We’re happy for you. Not every clone is so lucky.”

“If you say so.”

“Hear, hear,” Levet said. “Don’t worry, Bly. I know how to keep a secret. This wouldn’t even be the wildest thing I’ve seen transpire during the war.”

“What do you mean?” asked Rex, slightly intrigued.

“All I can say is that my mission to Qiilura was . . . interesting to say the least.”

Rex was hoping he’d say more, but a sudden, loud whooping from the other end of the bar drew everyone’s attention.

_It’s a night for romance, apparently._

Craning his neck to see over his brother’s heads, Rex spotted Attie. That Twi’lek bartender, Tann, was wrapped around him. Their lips were locked and Attie had her pressed against the bar, leaning her back at what seemed to be a near-perfect 45-degree angle. Her arms were wrapped around his chest and she was grabbing desperately at his chestplate, pulling him as close as possible.

Jesse, Joc, Boomer, and Pulsar were cheering him on enthusiastically.

_Well, I’ll be damned. He actually managed it._

“It looks like they’re trying to eat each other,” Ganch said, shaking his head.

“God damn,” Drayk muttered, looking pissed. He grabbed his drink off the table and poured a shot’s worth out onto the floor.

“Hey!” objected Levet, narrowly avoiding having alcohol splashed all over his boots. “What was that for? Nobody’s dead.”

“It’s for the hundred or so clones in the Five-Oh-First that just lost a lot of credits,” Drayk grunted. “Including me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Born to Be Needed - Tennis
> 
> You finally got your background Bly/Aayla confirmation lol. Bit of a wind-down chapter while everyone is recuperating between missions. If you know certain books (hint, hint) you know the events Barriss and Levet are referring to.
> 
> That's the end of all the Season 3 material! We're moving into Season 4 territory now


	27. Forgotten Memories

**Engineering bay of Republic cruiser _Reckless,_ in-atmosphere on Mon Cala**

****

“Comms check.”

“They’re working,” Rex reported.

“Heads-up display?”

“Functional.”

“Rangefinder?”

“Seems okay.”

“Bioscanner?”

Rex blinked rapidly. “Far as I can tell, the readings are accurate.”

“Good,” said Denal, who was fiddling with the wiring in Rex’s new helmet. “What about your vision? Everything look normal?”

Rex glanced over at Zeer, who knelt on the floor next to Rex’s chair packing away his welding tools. “Er, everything looks a little . . . desaturated.”

“Damn,” Denal cursed. He was quiet for a few seconds, then something in Rex’s helmet sparked.

“Ow!”

“Hey, stop moving!” Denal scolded. “This is a delicate operation. Is your vision better now?”

Rex glanced around again. All the colors that made up his world had returned to their normal hue. “Yeah,” he reported. “Yeah, everything’s good.”

“Excellent,” the other clone said, stepping away from him. “I’d say you’re good to go, Captain. Zeer, what do you think?”

“I think he looks weird,” said Zeer, straightening and hefting his toolbox with one hand. “But if this is what you’re happy with . . .”

“It is,” said Rex, standing as well.

He thumped one fist against his chestplate, feeling a satisfying ‘thump’ as his hand made contact with the bulky section of Phase 1 armor that he and Zeer had welded onto a Phase 2 frame. He could still see the diagonal marks around his ribs where the old gear met the new, but that was fine. It didn’t need to look pretty, it just needed to keep him alive. Plus, the weld-marks had taken on a nice blue sheen, which Rex didn’t mind too terribly.

His helmet was a bit more complicated. Once again, the frame was mostly Phase 2, but the two clones had cut away the visor and face-mask portion of a Phase 1 helmet and had grafted it onto the newer frame. They’d needed to recruit Denal to make sure all the internal wiring and tech within the helmet still worked fine, and now they were finally finished.

It was _extremely_ DIY, but that wasn’t to say it was shoddy craftsmanship.

“Thanks, you two,” Rex said, looking at his brothers. “I don’t think I could’ve done this on my own.”

“Hey, no problem,” Denal said, bumping him on the shoulder. “It was a nice little project to keep us busy while we’re waiting for the Generals to get back.”

“Yeah,” Zeer said. “Even if I think it’s weird.”

“Sir!” called a voice. “There’s – woah.”

The three clones looked over towards the doorway. Ven was standing there, having only just opened the door and stepped into the engineering bay.

“What is it, Sergeant?” Rex asked.

“You, er . . . You look . . . different,” Ven said, cocking his head slightly as Rex and the others approached him.

“If that’s not a compliment, I don’t wanna hear it,” Rex said, shaking his head. “What did you come here for?”

“Er, I came to tell you that the General and the others have just returned,” Ven said. “They’re in the hangar right now.”

“Alright,” Rex said. “Take me too them.” He, Zeer, and Denal fell into step behind Ven as the Sergeant turned and started leading them through the hallway of the ship toward the main hangar bay.

“They’ve been gone for a while,” Denal remarked. “It’s been pretty quiet without the General and the Commander around. Wonder how things went below the water.”

“Heard things went a little sideways,” Ven said, glancing back at the others as they continued walking. “I know the Quarren ended up switching sides from the Seppies to us, though. Something about a Separatist commander named Riff Tamson trying to forcefully take over the leadership. We had to bring in General Fisto, Commander Monnk, and their boys to level the playing field. Plus the Gungans.”

“Sounds complicated,” Rex said.

He’d heard bits and pieces, but they’d just been hovering over Mon Cala for the past few days, waiting for Skywalker and Ahsoka to return and unable to do anything to assist them with their current mission. The 501st might have been trained for a variety of combat scenarios and possibilities, but underwater combat wasn’t one of them. So, he and the boys hadn’t had much to do as of late.

“Who’s with them?” Rex asked. “The General, I mean.”

“It’s the General, Commander Tano, General Fisto, Commander Monnk, Senator Amidala, and Representative Binks,” Ven said. “They’re being escorted by Prince Lee-Char.”

“Huh,” Rex said. “The Prince himself? Guess we did a good job down there.”

“We won,” Ven said. “That’s good enough for me.”

_Fair point._

The four clones traversed the hallways of the ship, passing other clones milling about as they did so. Within a few minutes, they reached the main hangar bay. In one of the many offshoots of the main corridor, a group of figures clad in skintight swimsuits and bulky clone SCUBA gear were congregated around a gunship that had only recently touched down and was being refueled. They drew closer.

“Once again,” said one of the figures, a young Mon Calamari boy clad in a regal-looking uniform, “I offer you all my deepest gratitude and the gratitude of my people. Without your help, the battle would surely have been lost.”

“It was nothing, Prince,” Skywalker assured him, removing the airtight bubble-shaped helmet that had been supplying him with air while below the surface. His entire head – aside from his face – was covered by the hood of the dark red wetsuit that he wore. “We were happy to help.”

“I’m sorry that things turned into the mess that it did,” put in Senator Amidala, removing her own helmet. “I wish we hadn’t had to call in the clones and the Gungans to help you retake your own planet.”

“Issa no problemo,” said Representative Binks in his distinctive speech pattern, looking flattered. “Wessa happy to be helpin’ yousa.”

“Er, I agree with the Representative,” Monnk said, placing his hands on his hips. “Just doing our duty, sir.”

“If you ever need anything else,” said General Fisto, who was the only Jedi that didn’t need an underwater breathing apparatus. In fact, he was shirtless as well as helmetless, “you can always turn to the Republic and the Jedi to support you.”

“General,” Rex said, drawing attention to him and the others. He and the three clones snapped crisp salutes. “It’s good to have you back.”

“It’s good to _be_ back, Rex,” Skywalker said, turning towards him. “Woah.”

Rex felt like he was going to be getting that reaction a lot.

“Wow!” said Ahsoka, shifting towards the front of the group to get a better look at him. “Those are quite some modifications, Rexter.” It was funny to see her. Like the others, she wore a skintight maroon wetsuit and sported flippers on her feet and a backpack full of air. Instead of a bubble helmet like Skywalker and Amidala, however, she wore a transparent breathing mask over her face, secured by a series of straps around her headtails.

Rex chuckled as he and the others relaxed out of their rigid postures. “Glad you think so, Littl’un,” he said, grinning under his new helmet.

“Zeer and I helped,” Denal pointed out, clearly looking for some recognition of his own.

“Well, it looks like you three pulled off quite the project,” Skywalker said, smiling. Rex knew he liked tinkering with technology himself, so it only made sense that he’d be interested in whatever homebrewed method of engineering the three of them had used to fuse two helmets together. “You’ll have to tell me about it later.”

“If you’ll excuse me,” said General Fisto graciously, nodding at them, “I’m going to escort Prince Lee-Charr back to the waters. I’ll catch up with you all later.”

“Sounds good,” Skywalker nodded. “Good luck with your new rule, Prince.”

“Farewell,” Amidala said, bowing slightly.

“See you around,” Ahsoka said, waving as well. “Hope things go smoothly for you.”

The Prince nodded at her. “As do I,” he said, smiling. “Thank you for all your help, Ahsoka. You are a fine Jedi.” With that, he and General Fisto turned and walked off – followed by Representative Binks – leaving Ahsoka, blushing furiously, behind.

“That’s high praise coming from royalty,” Denal said, giving her a friendly nudge on the shoulder. “What did you do?”

“Oh, you know,” Ahsoka shrugged turning toward him, “just used some of my great Jedi wisdom to give the Prince some advice is all.”

“Sounds like it was a hit,” Zeer said.

“Something like that.”

General Skywalker cleared his throat. “Senator Amidala and I have some, uh, post-mission reports to get a head start on,” he said. “We’re going to take our leave as well. Probably get out of these wetsuits.”

Rex eyed the man suspiciously. Post-mission reports? Skywalker _never_ got a head start on any kind of mission report. Of course, he didn’t voice any of his suspicions; it wasn’t his place.

“If you say so, sir,” Rex nodded, allowing the Jedi and the senator to pass by them head toward the hangar bay’s exit. One of these days, he was going to get concrete evidence that something was going on between those two.

One of these days . . .

“Hey!” Ahsoka’s voice startled him out of his thoughts. “Planetside to Rex. I’m right in front of you.”

“Oh!” Rex said, not having realized that she had spoken at all. “Sorry. Er, what were you saying?”

“I was _saying_ that your new helmet looks pretty cool,” she said, looking up at him. “You guys did a pretty good job on it.”

“Why thank you,” Denal said, and Rex could hear the smirk he undoubtedly wore as he leaned on Rex’s shoulder. “It took a couple of days to get everything ironed out, but it’s not like we had much to do while you all were away.”

“What happened down there anyway?” Ven asked. “You were out longer than we thought.”

“Well, things got complicated,” Ahsoka shrugged. “The tinnies and the Quarren teamed up, a lot of our troops got captured, and there was almost an execution. But we managed to pull it together.”

“Sorry we weren’t down there to help you out,” Rex said, almost sheepishly. He knew he was being stupid, but he always wanted to be around to help Ahsoka when she needed it.

“Ah, it’s no sweat,” Ahsoka waved him off. “Monnk didn’t do so bad. Isn’t that right?”

“Normally,” Monnk said, folding his arms, “I’m not one to brag –” _Liar,_ “– but I’d say I did a pretty alright job down there. Things worked out in the end.”

“I suppose you did,” Rex said, shrugging. “What’s done is done.”

“As much I hate to interrupt,” Ahsoka said, drawing everyone’s attention, “I’m starving. Wanna hit the mess hall, Rex?”

Well, it’s not like he was doing anything else. “Alright, I’m game,” he nodded. “See you boys later.”

“Later,” Monnk said, giving a casual salute.

“Make sure you let me know if the armor continues to work fine,” Zeer said as Rex and Ahsoka split from the group and made for one of the adjoining hallways. “We can tweak it later if you want.”

“Will do,” Rex nodded. He and Ahsoka trekked out of the hangar and away from the others, walking into a mostly empty corridor that led toward one of the lifts.

“Ugh,” Ahsoka said, sagging slightly once they were out of sight. “I’m beat.”

“You got pretty used to being underwater, didn’t you?” Rex asked, reaching up and removing his helmet.

“What makes you say that?”

“You’re still wearing your breathing mask and flippers,” he pointed out, smirking.

“Oh, damn,” Ahsoka muttered. Stopping, she reached up and undid the strap that held her breathing mask to her face before pulling it away. She took in a deep breath. “Man is it good to breath fresh air again.” Then, she leaned against the wall and started tearing off the flippers attached to her feet.

Rex chuckled. “You part fish now?”

“It felt like it,” Ahsoka said, gathering her gear in her hands and tucking it all under one arm. “Having to swim for hours on end for a couple days straight was weird. Still, it was kinda pretty down there. Not sure I’d want to live there, but it was nice to visit.”

“Even with the fighting?”

“Well . . . maybe not during the fighting,” Ahsoka admitted, continuing onward. “That was pretty chaotic.”

“Good to be back, then?” Rex asked, keeping pace with her.

She looked up at him. “Of course,” she smiled. “I get to see you again, don’t I? That sounds good to me.”

Rex glanced away, feeling some color rising in his cheeks. “That’s, er . . . That’s nice of you,” he said awkwardly.

Ahsoka grinned, this time showing her predator’s fangs. “Of course it was. Have you met me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgotten Memories - The Last of Us Soundtrack
> 
> The fate of Lee-Charr - and, by extension, the Mon Cala - is pretty sad during the reign of the Empire.
> 
> The 'Reckless' is the name I've given to Anakin's new capital ship. Saw the idea somewhere else on here (though I forget where) and thought it was pretty apt.


	28. Wondrous Place

**Royal Palace, Naboo**

Rex followed Ahsoka through the halls of the Naboo Royal Palace. They’d arrived less than an hour ago in order to retrieve General Skywalker. He, Senator Amidala, and Representative Binks had gone to Naboo to investigate some strange events that had been going on with the Gungans recently. As per usual with Skywalker, things had gone sideways. The Gungans had captured General Grievous, Count Dooku had captured Skywalker, there was almost an invasion, and in the end, Amidala had exchanged Skywalker for Grievous. Quite the turn of events.

“Let’s make this quick,” Rex said. “Kix is gonna want to inspect Skywalker the second we’re back on the shuttle.”

“No doubt,” Ahsoka nodded. “I bet he’ll get a speech on being ‘reckless’ again.”

“Would he be wrong?”

“’Course not. But that’s just who Skyguy is. Anyway, don’t worry; we’re getting close to the room he’s recovering in.”

Rex chuckled, glancing around. He’d never really been inside the Royal Palace. Its hallways were elegantly carved, with immensely high ceilings and huge floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over a picturesque city with a landscape of forests, mountains, and rivers beyond it. Truth be told, he could probably get used to living someplace like this. But he couldn’t. At least not until after the war.

He was being stupid. There was no point in planning for a future that he wasn’t even sure he’d get to have.

“Wait!” Ahsoka hissed, stopping suddenly and holding up one hand to signal to Rex to do the same. “Stop quick.”

Rex froze, one hand going to his DC-17. Had she sensed something? Was there about to be a surprise attack? He kept his voice low, just in case. “What’s going –”

“Shh!” Ahsoka urged, holding one hand out toward him. “Do . . . Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Rex demanded. She was in her ‘hunter’ mode and that set him on edge.

“Shh!”

Zipping his lip, Rex kicked up the external audio pickup in his helmet and waited. After only a second or so, he understood exactly what Ahsoka was talking about.

“ _Ani_. Ani, stop! We’re going to be late!” That was Senator Amidala’s voice. She was laughing and sounded a bit flustered.

_Ani?_

_No way . . ._

“Oh, come on,” said another voice, “Ahsoka and Rex aren’t here yet. We have time.”

That was _General Skywalker_. Where were the voices coming from?

“ _Come on_ ,” said Senator Amidala. The sound came from a door just a meter or two ahead of them. “We need to get going.” And then there was the sound of footsteps.

Without thinking, Rex grabbed Ahsoka and dragged her toward the nearest door. “Hey!”

“Shh!” Rex hissed, clapping a hand over her mouth.

The door opened and the pair of them shuffled awkwardly inside. They found themselves inside of a small storage closet of some sort. There they stood, among the cleaning supplies and appliances, as the door slid shut and they were both hidden from view and plunged into relative darkness.

“What was that for?” Ahsoka demanded, sounding pissed as she shook out of his grasp.

“Didn’t you hear them?” Rex asked. “They’re coming out any second now.”

“So?”

“So –”

Outside, he heard a door open and more footsteps.

“Did you hear something?” asked Senator Amidala, her voice slightly muffled through the wall. She was no longer laughing. She sounded worried.

Ahsoka made for the door, but once more, Rex grabbed her, holding her back. Despite the darkness, he could feel her presence and knew exactly where she stood. He felt her glare at him, and Rex knew she could see him thanks to her own low-light vision. He shook his head slightly. Mercifully, she didn’t argue any further.

“I . . . thought I did,” General Skywalker said slowly, and it sounded as though he was pacing; looking for something or someone. “Eh. It was probably nothing. There’s no one here.”

“I hope you’re right,” fretted Senator Amidala. “If someone heard us . . .”

“Nobody heard us,” Skywalker assured her. “We’re fine.”

“I - I know . . .” Amidala said. “I just . . . I worry.”

“I know,” Skywalker assured her, sounding more understanding and gentle than Rex had ever heard him speak before. “But it’s okay. We’re okay. If someone was really snooping around, I’d sense them.”

_Well . . ._

“You’re right, Ani,” Amidala said. There it was again. That nickname.

_Petname._

“Come on, then,” Skywalker said. “I guess we’d better get a move on. Kix’ll tan my hide if I don’t let him give me a once-over as soon as I set foot on the shuttle.”

“Okay.” More footsteps. The next words were quiet enough that Rex only _just_ caught them. “I love you, Anakin.”

“I love you too, Padmé.”

There was a small, wet smacking sound which he assumed was a kiss.

Rex knew his mouth had fallen open.

And there it was. Confirmation. Not only were Skywalker and Amidala ‘a little more than friends,’ they were in an actual _relationship_. Deep enough in that they said stuff like ‘I love you.’ Rex didn’t know much about that kind of thing, but he knew that wasn’t something you just said to someone you were fooling around with.

He looked down at Ahsoka. She was frozen where she stood, her montrals pressed so tightly to the door that he was surprised she wasn’t in pain. Her mouth, like his, was wide open. Her eyes were bugging out.

Skywalker’s and Amidala’s footsteps faded away. Things became quiet.

“Holy _shit_ ,” Rex muttered, sagging against the wall and letting out a long breath.

“Why’d you stop me?” Ahsoka demanded, and Rex felt one of her index fingers strike the center of his chestplate. His eyes were slowly adjusting to the low level of light in the storage closet, and he could now just make out the outline of her figure. One hand was still pointing at Rex, while the other rested a fist on her opposite hip. Rigid. Angry.

“It’s not our business,” Rex maintained. “We didn’t come here to bust them.”

“Did you know?”

“No! And I take it you didn’t.”

“Of course not!” Ahsoka said, throwing her hands up into the air. “I guess now I know why he’s almost always MIA when we’re on Coruscant. He’s visiting Padmé! I can’t believe I never figured it out! I wonder if anyone else knows . . .”

“Look, I don’t think you should go around trying to find that out,” Rex said.

“But –”

“You know what he’s doing is against the Jedi Code, right?”

Ahsoka hesitated. “Well, yeah . . . you’re right . . .”

“If you slip up and someone who’s more rigid in following the Code finds out about this, he could be in _serious_ trouble,” Rex pointed out. Cut, Fox, Bly. He was something of an expert when it came to clandestine, high-stakes relationships at this point. “It’d just be better if we pretend that we don’t know anything.”

“But this is _Anakin_!” Ahsoka reminded him. “He’s our friend! Don’t we have a right to know if he’s doing something dangerous like this? Like you said, he could get into serious trouble. And . . . and it’s forbidden!”

“But you don’t really believe in that,” Rex said slowly, “do you?” Ahsoka fell silent. He wasn’t exactly sure what made him say that. Maybe he felt it. Maybe he just wanted to know where she stood. Her lack of a response was good enough for him. “After two years, you still think about JanFathal, don’t you?”

“How could I not?” Ahsoka asked, her posture relaxing slightly. “That was the first real mission you and I went on together. And . . . it got pretty crazy. Raised a lot of questions I didn’t have the answer to. Some that I still don’t . . .”

“Like your stance on attachment?” It was a leading question, and Rex wasn’t quite sure why he asked it. It wasn’t his business. But he wanted to know.

“Yeah,” Ahsoka admitted. “I mean . . . it seems to work okay for some Jedi, but . . . I just don’t know if it’s really necessary. Master Altis and his group seem to be doing fine. We’d all be lying if we said Obi-Wan wasn’t at least a little attached to Anakin. And I guess Anakin’s actually in a relationship and he’s still a great Jedi! So . . . what does it matter?”

Rex frowned. “I . . . Well, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I don’t have all the answers, littl’un. I wish I did, but I don’t. What you think about the Jedi Code and all that is ultimately none of my business.”

“What if I want it to be your business?”

Rex damn near choked. “Pardon?”

“ _I’ve_ said it before and _I’ll_ say it again,” Ahsoka mimicked him. “You’re my best friend, Rex. I want to be able to talk to you about this kind of thing, you know?

_Best friend._

_Friend._

_Yeah . . ._

“Ah,” Rex muttered. “Yeah. Okay. Right.”

If she knew his thoughts, she didn’t show it. “So, uh . . . how deep into a relationship do you think they are?” Her voice was suddenly a little conspiratorial. “How long?”

Rex thought about that. He’d first had his suspicions around the time he and Ahsoka had assisted Riyo in rescuing Baron Papanoida’s daughter. But it had seemed like an established relationship by then. So . . . how long _had_ it been? He knew that it was clear that the two cared about one another ever since Rex had first met Skywalker. When had that shifted into love? Had it been going on since before he was ever around?

“I . . . I’m not sure . . .” Rex said, placing a hand on his chin. “I think it’s been a long time.”

“Wow,” Ahsoka muttered, sounding totally in shock. “Did you, uh . . . I mean, you heard them . . . kiss. Right?”

“Er, yeah . . .” Where was she going with this?

“That was . . . weird to hear,” Ahsoka admitted. “Have, uh . . . have you ever kissed anyone before, Rex?”

Rex’s eyebrows shot up and gave a surprised snort. “No,” he half-laughed. “No, of course not. I’m clearly not in a relationship. Nor have I ever visited that Red Light District on Coruscant I’ve heard some lads talk about. Haven’t exactly had many chances to get out there and meet any ladies myself.”

Ahsoka snorted, and he knew she was grinning now. “You sure, Rex? With a face like that . . .”

“A face that something like over two million other men exactly like me have,” Rex pointed out.

“Your face might not be one hundred percent unique,” Ahsoka said. She placed one hand on his chestplate, palm flat against the plastoid, right over where his heart was. “But what’s in here _is_. And I think any girl in the galaxy would be lucky to have you.”

Rex was suddenly uncomfortable. He didn’t want to talk about this anymore. He didn’t want just _any_ girl in the galaxy. And he couldn’t really have one even if he did. Not while he was in the GAR. So it was time to flip the script.

“What about you?” he asked. “You ever kissed anyone before?”

“No,” Ahsoka said, and she sounded a little sad about that. “I’m a Jedi. For most boys, that’s a big flag that says ‘off limits’ or ‘out of your league.’ And those that label doesn’t scare away usually don’t have good intentions and are pretty creepy.”

“Except for that Lux Bonteri kid?”

“Well . . . maybe . . .” Ahsoka blushed and glanced away. “I dunno. It’s confusing.”

Rex grinned. “You’re pretty emotional for a Jedi, you know that?”

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah,” she said. “But clearly I’m not as emotional as Skyguy.”

“Not yet, anyway.”

“Come on. Let’s get out of this closet.”

* * *

Ahsoka watched as Kix and Boro took notes on Anakin’s condition. While Kix poked and prodded and asked if he was in any pain, Boro held a datapad in one hand and a stylus in the other, jotting down observations as they went.

“Really, guys,” Anakin said. “I’m fine. It’s not like I haven’t been electrocuted before.”

“That’s not exactly a good thing,” Boro pointed out, shaking his head.

“Don’t protest, that’ll only make this take longer,” Oz advised, speaking from experience.

He, Rex, Ringo, Ahsoka, and Padmé sat around the living quarters of the _Twilight_ , watching the show go down. Ahsoka couldn’t help casting glances between Anakin and Padmé. Now that she knew exactly what was happening, she couldn’t help but wonder how she’d never seen it before. The glances back and forth. Padmé’s worried expression. The feeling of complete trust and companionship that was so palpable between them that it made Ahsoka’s heart ache for something like that.

But she was a Jedi. Even if her Master didn’t follow the Code one hundred percent, that didn’t mean that she shouldn’t.

But what if she didn’t want to?

She glanced over at Rex, who was staring determinately down at his own datapad and not at Anakin or Padmé.

_Best not to think about it. At least not right now._

“Whatcha lookin’ at, sir?” asked Ringo, leaning in to look over Rex’s shoulder.

“Details for the next deployment,” Rex said. “Some planet called . . . Umbara.”

“Sounds ominous,” Ahsoka said, leaning in on Rex’s other side. Her montrals brushed against his shoulder; she was practically leaning her head on his arm. “What’s the deal?”

“Oh, I heard about that,” piped up Padmé. “Their senator, Mee Deechi, was murdered and they seceded from the Republic.”

“That’s right,” Rex nodded. “And we can’t allow that. Not only because we don’t want any planets joining the CIS cause, but also because Umbara’s got a huge store of doonium, which we want for building spaceships.”

“Well, they’re senator was murdered,” Ringo said. “Can’t exactly blame ‘em for being pissed about that.”

“Maybe not,” Rex said. “But we _can_ blame ‘em for siding with the Separatists.”

“Don’t you think we’re overstepping our boundaries a bit?” asked Padmé, raising an eyebrow. “Is it really the Republic’s job to force planets to pick a side and stay on it? If we’re really as benevolent as we say, shouldn’t we allow planets to choose their own side whether it’s ours or not?”

Everyone stared at her.

“No offense, ma’am,” Rex said, “but you’re preaching to the converted.”

“It’s not like we _want_ to go to Umbara,” piped up Kix, “but orders are orders.”

“You know us,” Ringo said. “Busy eight days a week.”

“You’re an idiot, Ringo,” Oz remarked.

“Besides,” Anakin said, flinching as Kix prodded a muscle in his neck, “we don’t really have a choice. We need the doonium and we can’t let another planet fall to the Separatists. It’s that simple.”

“Right,” Padmé sighed, rolling her eyes. “I just remembered who I was talking to.”

Ahsoka frowned, unsure of what to really think. On the one hand, another planet joining the Separatists was bad news; since they seemed to be growing stronger all the time. Allowing a planet to secede would be detrimental to the war effort. On the other hand, if the Republic wanted to be better than the Separatists, shouldn’t they just allow Umbara to leave? She wasn’t exactly sure what was the morally right thing to do, but she couldn’t really argue with Anakin’s logic, either.

“Well,” Rex said, “it’s important enough to the GAR that they’re rustling up the Five-Oh-First, the Two-Twelfth, the Three-Twenty-Seventh, and as many Jedi as they can.”

“Sounds like it’ll be quite the party,” Ahsoka said.

“You can bet on that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wondrous Place - The Last Shadow Puppets
> 
> Well, bet you didn't see that coming! Rex and Ahsoka know, but Anakin and Padmé don't know they know.
> 
> Y'all know what's about to happen. Hope you're prepared.


	29. Gimmie Shelter

**Hangar bay of the _Reckless_ , over Umbara**

Ahsoka leaned against a crate off to one side and watched as Anakin and Obi-Wan, assisted by R2-D2, delivered the briefing to a small group of 501st and 212th clones assembled in the hangar bay. Around them, clones moved equipment, AT-RTs, ammo, supplies, and themselves onto gunships as they prepared for the heavy assault that was to come within minutes.

“Masters Krell and Tiin will be supporting my troops in the south,” Obi-Wan said as R2 projected a hologram of a rolling, hilly landscape densely packed with flora, “while Anakin’s battalion comes in from the north and takes out enemy reinforcements. It is imperative that we conquer the capital city as quickly as possible and hold it.” He made a fist for emphasis.

He really had become quite the general.

“Our biggest problem is gonna be the local militia,” Anakin said, stepping forward. “The Umbarans have aligned themselves with the Separatists and are heavily armed. ARC trooper Fives will be assisting my units on special assignment.”

“Ready to do my part, General Skywalker,” Fives said, stepping up with that bravado he always carried himself with.

“Nice to have you onboard,” Rex said.

“Just like old times, Rex,” Fives nodded. But his voice was a little more serious. What could he be thinking about? Maybe the days when Echo was still alive.

“Remember, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said, drawing his former Apprentice’s attention, “Cody and I will be twelve klicks to your south. We’re counting on you to take out those local fighters or I’m afraid the capital will never surrender.”

Anakin snorted. “Does my battalion have to do _everything_?” he asked, folding his arms as he grinned mockingly.

_That’s my Master._

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. “You seem to always volunteer,” he said. And with that, he turned and walked away with Cody and Lieutenant Waxer following close behind. As the trio detached from the group of 501st men, they passed close by Ahsoka. “I trust you know your assignment as well?”

“Of course,” Ahsoka assured him, waving him off. “Barriss and I are gonna help the flyboys break the blockade, and then we’re gonna monitor the space battle with Commander Bly while the rest of you take care of things on the ground.”

“And you’re ready?”

“Yep,” she nodded. “I just dropped by to wish the boys luck quick.”

Obi-Wan sighed and shook his head good-naturedly. “When are you going to learn that there’s no such thing as luck?”

She shrugged. “When you admit that you actually believe in it,” she quipped, getting a chuckle out of Waxer. “You’d better get going. Don’t want to get down there after Anakin. He’ll probably try and race you to victory or something.”

“Fair enough,” Obi-Wan said, smiling. “May the Force be with you.”

“May the Force be with you, Master,” Ahsoka replied. And he walked off.

“Good luck, Commander,” said Cody, shooting her a quick salute before turning and trotting off after Obi-Wan.

“Hope it goes well,” Waxer told her, waving as he followed the others. “See you later.”

“See you later, Waxer,” Ahsoka said, waving back at him. “Have fun!”

Now that they were gone, she could say her goodbyes to her own men. She walked over to Anakin and the 501st. “Hey, guys,” she said. “Everyone ready to head out?”

“Of course, ma’am!” said Dogma, standing to attention.

“You can stand down, Dogma,” Ahsoka said, stifling a laugh. “I’m only here for a minute or two.”

“We’re ready, ma’am,” said Jesse. “You know us.”

“Yeah!” piped up Hardcase, pumping his fist. “We’re ready to go!”

“Pack it in, Hardcase,” Rex said, bumping him on the shoulder as he and Anakin approached Ahsoka. “Save the enthusiasm for when we’re actually _on_ the battlefield.”

“Come to see us off?” Anakin asked.

“Yeah,” Ahsoka nodded. “I’m about ready to head out myself. Swoop’s got the boys just about ready to go.”

“Good luck, litt’lun,” Rex said. “We’re counting on you.”

“Yeah,” Fives nodded. “If you don’t help break that blockade, this campaign’ll be over before it even starts.” She could tell he was grinning under his helmet.

“Gee,” Ahsoka said, smiling as she rolled her eyes. “No pressure or anything.”

“Don’t worry,” Tup said, giving her a thumb’s-up. “We know you can handle it.”

“You’re just as good of a pilot as General Skywalker,” Checkers said.

“Thanks, guys,” Ahsoka said, grinning. She could always count on them for some encouragement.

“I hate to cut this short,” said Jesse, “but we’d better get underway. We don’t wanna be left behind.”

“He’s right,” Anakin admitted. He placed a hand on Ahsoka’s shoulder. “Good luck, Snips. May the Force be with you.”

“You too, Master,” Ahsoka told him, stepping away from the group. “Good luck guys! Maybe if the space battle goes well, I’ll come down and meet up with you.”

“I hope so,” Checkers said. “It won’t be the same without you. Er, no offense, General.”

“None taken.”

“See you later, Commander,” Rex said, giving her a quick pat on the shoulder before turning to the men. He waved them all toward the gunship’s open troop bay. “Alright, let’s go!”

As Anakin and the clones filed onto the transport ship, Ahsoka stepped back and felt something . . . strange. Maybe it was just her nerves over being away from both Anakin and Rex and having to command the assault of the blockade by herself, but she suddenly felt strangely worried.

She and Rex were splitting up again.

She’d known that long beforehand, of course, but she still didn’t like it. Good things usually didn’t happen when they split up.

Still, maybe this time would be different. Rex had Anakin with him, and she had Barriss and Bly with her. Things would be fine.

_Right?_

Ahsoka started when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see Barriss standing next to her, with Commander Bly not far behind.

“Are you okay?” asked her fellow Padawan.

“Yeah,” Ahsoka said, shaking her head to clear her thoughts as she watched the gunship’s bay doors slide shut, cutting her off from Anakin and her men. She needed to stay focused. “I’m good. Just saying goodbye is all. Everything good to go?”

“Yes,” Barriss nodded. “Though . . . your Blue Squadron and the Three-Twenty-Seventh pilots seem to have developed a bit of a rivalry already.”

“Oh, no . . .” muttered Ahsoka, rolling her eyes. “Do we need to go smooth something over?”

“Perhaps,” Barriss mused. “When I left to come and get you, Jetfire was about to bet his stash of credits that he could shoot down more droids than all the other pilots combined.”

Ahsoka ran a hand down her face. Yes. That sounded like Jetfire alright. She sighed. “We’d better get back there before a fight breaks out or something.”

“Never a dull moment with you lot, is there?” asked Bly, folding his arms and cocking his head.

Ahsoka laughed. “You betcha.”

And with that, she turned and followed Bly and Barriss away from the gunship as its engines roared and it started to hover over the deck.

* * *

The red lights in the interior of the gunship cast an eerie, bloody glow over Rex, Skywalker, and the other clones inside the troop bay as he felt the transport shift in the air.

“You boys comfortable back there?” came the voice of Lieutenant Hawk through the intercom.

“Doing just fine, Hawk,” Skywalker said into his commlink. “Are we ready?”

“Any second now,” Hawk reported. “Commander Tano’s punched a hole in the blockade and we’re through. Just waiting on Gold Squadron to get underway. They’re escorting our wing.”

“Just let us know.”

“Everyone check your weapons,” Rex ordered, glancing around. “Intel says our landing zone’s gonna be hot.”

“How hot?” asked Tup, cocking his head.

“Boiling.”

Hardcase chuckled. “Excellent.”

“Everybody know the insertion plan?” Skywalker asked.

“Of course, sir,” Dogma said. “Our gunships will insert with a Headhunter escort, we deploy AT-RTs to for cover, and then we disembark and take the fight to the enemy.”

“I don’t know how you make sound simpler than Skywalker, Dogma,” Boomer said from the rear of the gunship, leaning against his AT-RT walker, “but you do it and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

“At least he pays attention,” remarked Rex. “Unlike some people.”

“Hey!” Hardcase said, indignant. “As long as I’m blasting the enemy, I’m following the plan.”

“Alright, we’re ready,” said Hawk. “Time to get underway!”

With that, Rex felt the gunship shift again and felt motion. They had certainly exited the ship’s hangar and were soaring through toward the planet below. Only seconds later, the blaster fire started. Flak buffeted the gunship and it shook lightly, forcing everyone inside to reach up and grab onto the overhead rail in order to keep steady.

The troop bay doors slid open to reveal . . . not much.

The sky was thick with clouds and smoke and sudden bright green flashes of light. Huge spot lamps attached to the bottoms of their gunships attempted to cut through the natural, choking darkness of the planet, but it was hard work and there was just too much going on for what little was illuminated to make much sense.

“There’s a lot of surface fire,” Rex remarked, watching as bright green bolts of energy shot past them. Nothing he could do. Just hold on tight and hope that Hawk would get them through okay.

“They ain’t got nothin’ we can’t handle, sir,” Hardcase said.

At that moment, a huge explosion drew everyone’s attention. Whipping around, Rex saw that a gunship that had been flying just off their port side had taken a direct hit and burst into a ball of flame before plummeting toward the ground far below.

_You just had to open your mouth, didn’t you?_

Rex glanced at Tup, who was holding onto the overhead rail with both hands. He’d been on a few missions – he’d earned the right to paint his armor, after all – but this was bound to be the toughest thing he’d faced thus far into his short career in the GAR. It’d be interesting to see if he’d sink or swim.

“You hangin’ in there, Tup?” Rex asked.

“So far, so good, Captain,” the younger clone assured him, nodding.

“General Skywalker,” came Hawk’s voice over the General’s commlink, “I’ve turned the lights out. Our night vision sensors are having a tough time in this chop. I hope we don’t overshoot the landing site!”

“Just get us as close as you can,” Skywalker assured him, raising his voice as he spoke into his wristcomm in order to be heard over the din of aerial combat that was going on all around them.

“Time to lock and load!” Hardcase bellowed, spinning up his Z-6 rotary cannon and holding it at the ready.

“We’re gettin’ close to the ground,” Fives warned, peering out of the troop bay. His visor’s night vision optics must’ve been better than Rex’s.

“Boomer,” Rex ordered, glancing at the clone. “You’d better get your boys ready to go.”

The Sergeant nodded and said something over his commlink, then mounted the AT-RT that was folded into the rear of the gunship, taking a few moments to get it started up.

“Ready, Captain,” he said.

“Any second now . . .”

“We’re in the zone!” called Hawk. “Go, Boomer!”

A hatch behind the walker slid open, allowing Boomer to pilot his walker out the rear of the gunship and jump out onto the ground below. Rex knew that all the other gunships were launching their own AT-RT drivers; deploying a huge mobile strike force that would hopefully help them clear the way ahead of their own landing.

_So far, so good._

“General Skywalker!” Hawk said. “We’re dropping in now. Get ready back there.”

“Ready up, men,” Rex said, reaching down and drawing one of his DC-17s, the other hand still gripping the railing. Beneath the explosions and the roar of the gunship engines, Rex heard the sounds of plastoid clacking together and carbines being switched off safety.

And then they hit the ground.

“Go, go!” Rex bellowed. “Go, go, go!”

His boots hit the grass and he was firing. He was far away from his targets, and he could barely see what he was shooting at, but as long as rounds were leaving his weapon, there was a chance that he’d hit something. That he’d make a difference. Behind him, Skywalker jumped out of the gunship along with the others, igniting his lightsaber and deflecting any bolts that came his way. As the last trooper – Tup – disembarked, Hawk piloted his gunship up and away from the fighting, probably heading back toward the ship with the rest of the wing.

Skywalker surged forward and Rex did his best to keep up with him. They’d set down on a hilly area that sloped gradually upwards for some ways, sparsely dotted with some kind of plant life that was somewhat bioluminescent, casting dim green and red glows for a few meters around them. Ahead, Rex could only just make out several large, two-pronged gun emplacements that shot out spherical, blue energy shots; artillery. Around them were the shadowy forms of the Umbaran militia: humanoid, bipedal beings in thin suits of armor with bubble-like helmets, firing blaster rifles at the approaching wave of clones.

“This map has a ridge at twenty-three degrees north-northwest,” Rex reported, ducking as a few rounds flew straight over his head as he checked what little telemetry data they had on the area they’d set down in.

“Good,” Skywalker said, pausing, “we can use it as a staging area.”

Rex glanced behind him. “Keep movin’!” he bellowed, waving his men on. “We gotta clean that ridge. The other battalions are counting on us!”

“Don’t stray too far,” Skywalker warned as they continued to push onward. “The enemy could have the whole place rigged with traps.”

Tup – right on Rex’s six – scoffed. “I can’t even see the enemy!”

“That’s why they’re called the ‘shadow people,’ Tup,” Jesse deadpanned over the commlink.

_Boom!_

Rex only just saw it. Something low-flying and fast whizzed by in his peripheral vision and a sudden explosion decimated an entire squad of men to his left. _They have air support of their own._

“Everybody take cover!” he shouted, ducking instinctively even though he knew it would do him little good if an explosive round were headed straight for him.

But nothing happened. He was still in the fight. He just needed to stick close to Skywalker and keep pushing forward.

* * *

Fives, like Rex, kept both his DC-17 sidearms out and firing as they trekked up the incline just ahead of Tup and Hardcase. Usually, he preferred a DC-15 carbine, but right now extra firepower was more favorable over preciseness given that they could barely even tell where the enemy was.

There was a grunt from behind him, and Fives glanced back to make sure nothing had snuck up behind them. But it turned out to just be Hardcase. Tup was helping the other clone regain his balance.

“It’s just a vine, keep moving, Hardcase,” Tup said.

“Yeah, I got it all under control,” the other clone assured him, spinning up his rotary cannon once more and returning to his task of laying down covering fire.

But it wasn’t just a vine.

“What the –!”

Without warning, one of the thick vines shot up off the ground as though it had a mind of its own and wrapped itself around Hardcase, dragging him upwards into the air and tossing him around almost effortlessly. Hardcase yelled in surprise, firing his rotary cannon every which way. Fives and Tup both backed up in surprise and shifted their focus onto the vines. As it turned out, they were connected to some kind of central node. At the center of the vines – tentacles, actually – was a gaping mouth protected by tough skin, almost like a mini sarlaac pit.

_Shit!_

The tentacles reached out again and – unluckily – wrapped around Fives and another trooper he didn’t recognize. Both were pulled high up into the air and tossed around as the creature apparently attempted to disorient them. Fives groaned and his stomach lurched as his world turned upside down.

The monster released Hardcase, apparently deciding he was too much trouble what with his constant struggling and his cannon firing everywhere, but Fives and the other clone were not so lucky. Even as he watched on, the creature shifted its grip on the other trooper and dragged him, screaming, into its open mouth. He disappeared.

“Oh, that’s not right!” Fives heard Hardcase remark from somewhere below him.

_Okay, stay calm._

_Think this through._

He surely only had seconds before he himself would become this creature’s meal. Blaster fire didn’t seem to have any effect on it. Its outer skin or shell or whatever was too thick. That meant the only way to damage it would be to hit it from the inside. But how was he going to do that?

And then it came to him.

Fives reached into his belt and pulled a thermal detonator out, priming it and holding it at the ready. As another appendage emerged from the mouth of the creature, reaching up towards Fives, he tossed the detonator at it. Apparently only operating on touch and reflex, it grabbed the explosive and retracted it into its mouth.

Silence.

_Thump._

A mixture of fire and a thick, gooey substance spewed from the creature’s center as the grenade exploded, obliterating the monster from the inside it. Letting out a pained, high-pitched scream, it jerked and released Fives, sending him plummeting to the ground below, where he landed flat on his ass.

Sighing with relief, he allowed a hand to grab his shoulder and help him to his feet, the battle momentarily forgotten.

“Nice work, Fives,” said the clone who’d helped him up, who happened to be Hardcase.

“Hardcase, right?” he asked, nodding at him. The two of them had never really talked. Fives had always been closer with Charger. But Charger wasn’t around anymore.

“Yeah,” Hardcase nodded. “That’s what they call me.”

“Come on, guys,” Tup said, waving them onwards. “We’d better get back to it. We want to stay with the main battle group.”

* * *

Rex, helmetless, stood beside General Skywalker in their makeshift forward operating position. After nearly an hour of hard combat, they’d eliminated the heavy guns and taken the ridge from the Umbarans. Following this, they’d dug a makeshift system of trenches at the top of the ridge and were currently using it both for cover while they recovered and rested and to survey the fighting going on several kilcks ahead of their position.

Rex glanced over at Skywalker to his right, who was using a pair of electrobinoculars to survey the distant explosions and blaster fire that could only just be seen through the fog and darkness.

“General Kenobi’s battalion, sir?” Rex asked.

They’re pushing towards the capital,” Skywalker said, lowering the electrobinoculars and looking over at him. “We need to move out as soon as the men are ready.”

There was a sudden flurry of boot falls on dirt and Dogma was standing behind them, his helmet gripped tightly under one arm and his posture ramrod straight.

“All platoons have reported in, General,” he said, standing at attention. Drayk had probably sent him along for no other reason than because he knew Dogma would love nothing more than to give a report to Skywalker. Even if it only took a few seconds.

Skywalker stifled a laugh. “Get some rest,” he said, nodding at the young clone.

“Thank you, sir,” Dogma said. “I’m fine.”

Rex rolled his eyes. “The General’s giving you an order, Dogma,” he said, translating for Skywalker. The kid just didn’t know when to quit. No social graces at all.

“Of course, sir,” Dogma nodded. And with that, he turned on his heel and marched off, still holding his head at attention.

Rex shook his head. “He’s wound tight but, er, he’s loyal,” he told Skywalker as the General returned to surveying the battle ahead.

The man gave a small laugh. “He kinda reminds me of you.”

“Maybe,” Rex said, not sharing his General’s attitude. Had he really been like that once? It was hard to remember. “Back in the day.” Of course, ‘back in the day’ was only three years ago. Less than that, even. So much had changed. Rex had changed. It was hard to think back to a time before Skywalker. Before Ahsoka. Before Fives. Before he knew he was Force-sensitive.

Speaking of the Force . . .

There was a disturbance coming from somewhere down the line. Rex reached for his sidearms before he was even consciously aware that something was wrong.

And then the blaster fire started.

“Ambush!” warned Boomer, jumping onto his AT-RT. “They’re behind us!” He’d only just managed to get his walker up and running when he was shot through the back. He let out a surprised cry and stiffed, then fell limp against the controls. Dead.

Rex jammed his helmet onto his head and drew his weapons as Fives did the same.

“The enemy’s circled behind us,” Fives said, dropping the remains of the dry rations he’d been eating and putting on his own helmet.

“Everybody,” Rex barked over open comms, “we must defend our back!”

He, Fives, and Skywalker all leapt over the rear of their trench and ran toward the enemy, Skywalker drawing his lightsaber and providing cover for the two clones. Rex fired his two pistols into the darkness wherever he saw the green muzzle flashes of the enemy’s weapons. Every now and then he’d feel . . . _something_. . . and knew he’d killed. It was a strange, new sensation. Like ice crawling up his spine. A life force being snuffed out of existence. If this is what Jedi felt, it was no wonder Ahsoka was uncomfortable with killing organics. But it certainly wasn’t going to stop Rex from fighting. Not with his life and the lives of his men on the line. It was just something he had to get used to.

Clones fell left and right, picked off through the darkness by enemies they could barely see. This was not an even fight. They’d been caught off-guard and they needed to level the playing field quickly or they’d lose too many men to complete their objective. Thinking on his feet, Rex transmitted their coordinates and the rough coordinates of the enemy to some of the flyboys and hoped they’d get the message. If comms were down, they’d be on their own.

As Fives moved off to assist Del and his squad, Rex and Skywalker dived into another trench for cover. Skywalker took a moment to swing his lightsaber and destroy a strange, insectoid-looking creature that had just electrocuted a clone before hunkering down and jamming his back against the dirt wall.

“I’ve called in an airstrike on the enemy’s position,” Rex said.

Skywalker nodded. “Let’s hope they’re not too busy helping Obi-Wan,” he said.

“There’s an opening to our south,” Rex said. “I recommend we move all platoons off the ridge in case the airstrike overshoots.” Friendly-fire was an unfortunate reality of war. And it was all the more likely in this scenario given that the enemy was practically on top of the 501st forces and that the pilots would be relying almost exclusively on sensors instead of vision.

“Good thinking, Rex,” Skywalker said, getting to his feet. “Everyone! Move out, now!”

Scrambling to stand up, Rex broadcast a general order of retreat and marked the fallback location in every man’s HUD. Troopers stood and ran for the rally point, barely bothering to turn and shoot behind them in their haste to evacuate the area before the bombs dropped. A light in Rex’s own display winked on, letting him know that his request for air support had been received and approved. They were on their way.

_ETA five minutes._

In seconds, all Rex’s forces had evacuated the ridge, taking cover in the surrounding foliage to the south. He did a quick headcount, finding every man thanks to their ID tags in his HUD and accounting for the dead. Once he was sure that everyone had made it out, he found General Skywalker pressed against one of the vine-like growths and staring back up towards the ridge. No Umbarans had attempted to chase after them yet, but it was likely only a matter of time.

“All here, sir,” Rex reported.

“Stay covered,” Skywalker said, cutting the air with one hand. “We have to hold the position.” There was nothing else to do other than sit and wait. Either for the airstrike or for the enemy to roll on over the ridge and start shooting at them again.

Silence.

“Are you sure those bombers are coming?” asked Tup, sounding nervous as he looked up into the dark sky.

Rex looked up to; watching. Waiting.

And then it happened. Two Y-wing bombers shot overhead and toward the ridge, which exploded in a flurry of fire and bright light. The entire thing.

A cheer went up from the men.

“Good old Oddball,” Jesse said, bumping Tup on the shoulder. “Always on target.”

“Glad we got off that ridge,” Skywalker said, letting out a relieved sigh. Rex was too. If they’d stayed, they’d be nothing but dust right about now.

“Yeah.”

“Heh. That’ll teach ‘em,” Hardcase chuckled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gimmie Shelter - The Rolling Stones  
> (If that ain't Vietnam music, I dunno what is)
> 
> So here we are, y'all. The Big One (Aside from Mandalore). It's a wild ride, and I hope you enjoy it and hate it.
> 
> Found a source that mentioned the 327th being involved in the space battle of Umbara. Not sure how true that is, but fuck it. I like putting Bly and the boys in when I can, so here they are. Also yeah, in order to keep consistent with canon, Fives and Hardcase haven't really interacted before now. It's a little strange since they've both been around for so long, but such is Star Wars.
> 
> In other news, that new Mandalorian episode has me HYPE.


	30. Deference for Darkness

**Wilderness, Umbara**

As the 501st regrouped, Anakin stood and watched the sky, waiting. After the bombing run that had cleared the ridge they’d set up camp on had taken place, he’d received a quick transmission from Obi-Wan letting him know he’d have a visitor soon. Before he could ask any questions, the comm had cut out, leaving him in the dark as to what exactly was going on.

Reinforcements? Another legion? New orders? Who knew?

He could only hope that it was good news. They’d only been in the field for a few hours and things were already looking rough. Casualty reports from both the 501st and 212th were higher than they should have been for what was simply the opening strike. And they were a long way from taking the capital. Apparently, the space combat was still fierce as well. He hoped Ahsoka and Barriss were handling things alright.

As he watched on, accompanied by Rex and Drayk, a pair of Z-95 Headhunters shot by overhead, followed closely by a gunship that set down a few meters away from them. The dropship’s bay doors slid open, revealing a pair of clone troopers and a tall, formidable-looking Besalisk clad in Jedi robes. Pong Krell. Anakin didn’t know much about Krell; they’d never worked together before. Still, the Jedi Master had a reputation that preceded him: stern, to-the-point, and focused on the task at hand.

But what was he doing here?

Krell disembarked from the gunship and walked towards Anakin and his captains.

“Master Krell,” Anakin said, giving him a respectful nod. “My thanks for the air support.”

“Indeed, General Skywalker,” Krell said in a deep, throaty voice. “The locals have proven to be more resourceful than we anticipated.”

“But that’s not the reason for your visit,” Anakin prompted.

“No,” said Krell, shaking his head. “The Council has ordered you back to Coruscant. Effective immediately.”

Instant disbelief shot through Anakin. “What?” he asked, shocked. “Why?” This was insane. Obi-Wan needed him and the 501st here to help them push through. They couldn’t just abandon the battle.

“I’m afraid a request was made by the Supreme Chancellor and the Council obliged,” Krell explained. “That is all they would tell me.”

So just him, then. Not the clones.

“Well, I – I can’t just leave my men,” Anakin protested. If the Chancellor wanted his help with something, that was fine, but he was busy at the moment. This campaign was too important and the clones needed Jedi support.

“I’ll be taking over in the interim,” Krell said.

Anakin felt uneasy. He didn’t want to just hand over control of his men to anyone. Even another Jedi. Leaving felt . . . wrong. Like he was abandoning his troops.

“Don’t worry about a thing, sir,” Rex piped up. “We’ll have the city under Republic control by the time you’re back.”

“Master Krell, this is Rex,” Anakin said, gesturing to the clone, “my first in command. You won’t find a finer or more loyal trooper anywhere.” If he really was going to leave, he wanted Krell to know he could count on Rex to help him lead and get the job done.

“Good to hear that,” Krell nodded. He placed a hand on Anakin’s shoulder. “I wish you well, Skywalker.” And he stepped back.

Anakin exchanged a glance with Rex, who gave him a small nod. He hated leaving, but if the Chancellor himself had put in the request, it had to be for something of paramount importance. Especially if the Council allowed him to be taken out of a battle this critical. He’d just have to leave, take care of business as quickly as he could, and then return to Umbara. In the meantime, he needed to trust Rex, Ahsoka, and Master Krell to keep things running smoothly in his absence.

He could do that much, surely.

Sighing, Anakin strode forward and stepped onto the gunship that Krell had arrived on. Placing one hand onto the overhead railing, he turned and took one last look at his troopers. Rex and Drayk had stepped up to stand beside Krell, still at attention, and were watching his departure. Krell was too, his four hands clasped tightly behind his back; his posture just as rigid as the clones’.

He hoped they wouldn’t butt heads.

Krell was a lot more by-the-book than Anakin, and his men were used to doing things a bit more unconventionally than most Jedi's standards.

Surely Rex would have it all under control, though . . .

Right?

There was no time for second-guessing, as the gunship lifted into the air and took off, transporting him away from both the battlefront and his troops.

* * *

Rex watched as the gunship carrying Skywalker lifted up off the ground and soared away, heading back up toward the upper atmosphere.

_Well, this fight certainly just got a lot harder._

Perhaps not. It depended if Krell was just as good of a fighter and tactician as Skywalker. They’d find out sooner or later.

Rex glanced up at the Besalisk. “Your reputation precedes you, General,” he said. “It is an honor to be serving you.” That was true. He didn’t know much about Krell’s personality, but his record spoke for itself. The number of victories far outnumbered the number of defeats. They were often costly victories in terms of casualties, but sometimes that was just how it was in this war. These days, the Republic would take a win even if it was by the skin of their teeth.

“I find it very interesting, Captain,” said Krell, turning away from him, “that you are able to recognize the value of honor. For a clone.”

_What?_

Rex and Drayk glanced at one another behind Krell’s back.

That’s _not good._

“Stand at attention when I address you,” Krell snapped. Both captains did as they were told, their posture going from relaxed to rigid in a heartbeat. “Your flattery is dually noted, but it will not be rewarded.” He walked among the men assembled around them. “There’s a reason my command is so effective, and it’s because I do things by the book. And that includes protocol. Have all platoons ready to move out immediately. That is all.” And he stalked off.

Okay.

So they weren’t gonna be friends.

Rex was fine with that, as long as they got the job done. Fives, who stood nearby with Dogma, shot Rex an exasperated look. Clearly, he was about as chuffed with their new general as he was.

“That was . . . sudden,” Drayk said, shaking his head. “I don’t like how his attitude completely changed after Skywalker left. Calm Jedi one second and harsh drill sergeant the next.”

Tup shrugged. “He’s a tough leader. So what?”

“Every Jedi’s different,” mused Mixer. “Guess it stands to reason that at least one would end up being a hard-head.”

“Kinda reminds me of those Mandalorian drill sergeants the clone commandos have,” Kano said. “Those guys are a different breed.”

“He’s no Mandalorian, that’s for sure,” remarked Checkers.

“Cut the chatter, people,” Rex said, shaking his head and putting on his helmet. Just because Krell wasn’t as personable as General Skywalker didn’t mean they were allowed to mock him out loud or resist his command. They were still soldiers. Still had orders to follow. “Let’s get ready to move out like he said.”

And so they did. The men were rounded up, prepared, and moved out. They walked for a long time, marching into territory that was more densely packed with plant life. They traveled in an almost single-file line, with General Krell in the lead and Rex, Drayk, and Fives not far behind him. Periodically, Krell would shout something in order to keep them moving.

“Quicken that pace, battalion,” he bellowed, glancing back, “this isn’t some training course on Kamino!”

Rex frowned.

“The, er, new General has a way with words,” Fives muttered.

“He’s just trying to keep us on schedule,” Rex said.

“By raising everyone’s ire?”

“Either way, he’s in charge and we’ve got a job to do,” Rex maintained. “Just treat him with respect and we’ll all get along fine.” That probably wasn’t going to be the case, but they could at least be civil if nothing else.

Fives gaze suddenly shifted upwards. “Do you see that?”

Rex looked into the sky. Through the vines and other bioluminescent growth, he could just make out two large, winged creatures sailing towards them, glowing green against the dark sky. Even as they watched, the things shifted their direction to fly low: right towards the clones. Rex wasn’t about to gamble that they were friendly.

“Yeah,” he said, reaching for his pistols. He raised his voice. “Ready your weapons!”

As the two creatures flew closer, Rex could make out more details. They almost insectoid in nature, with short, spiked tails and pincers that protruded out alongside their heads. Their bodies were covered mostly in black shells that acted as armor, though their green eyes and sharp-toothed mouths were still visible. As the clones opened fire, the creatures twisted and turned in the air, avoiding the blaster fire with almost graceful ease.

“Watch out!”

“They’re gettin’ too close!”

Rex ducked and sidestepped as the two beasts flew low over his head, back towards the long column of troopers behind him. Spinning around and adjusting his aim, he saw one of the things fly towards an AT-RT, plucking the unlucky driver right off of his vehicle and carrying him high into the air. The second swooped in and grabbed Rook, pulling him up as the other creature dropped the AT-RT driver, who landed just off the path.

He’d fallen far enough and landed at an awkward enough angle that Rex was sure he’d snapped his neck.

He focused on the thing that now held Rook, who was flailing and attempting to hit the creature that carried him, so far to no avail. If they didn’t take that thing out, he was going to end up falling to his death or as its next meal.

At that moment, Krell leapt over Rex’s head. Using both the Force and the surrounding plant life, he vaulted himself on top of the flying creature carrying Rook. It let out a high-pitched, surprised shriek and wobbled in the air, overburdened by the sudden extra weight. While two of his arms kept him steady, Krell used his other two to wrench the creature’s pincers apart, freeing Rook, who fell to the ground in a heap.

As Gunner helped Rook up, General Krell brought the creature he was riding to the ground, pinning it beneath his legs before drawing his lightsabers. He carried two: each was double-sided, though one was green and the other blue. He twirled them about briefly before bringing both plummeting down and thrusting them through the beast’s head. Without missing a beat, he spun around and cut the second one nearly in half as it appeared out of the darkness and swooped at him. The smoking body landed between Rex and Fives, twitching feebly.

_That was impressive._

Krell shut off his lightsabers and clipped them to his belt, striding forward and driving one of his feet into the nearly dead creature’s head, crushing it.

“Anyone else want to stop and play with the animals?” he demanded, looking around at the men.

_Impressive. But then he’s a_ di’kut _about it._

He’d just saved Rook’s life. Couldn’t that be enough?

“Didn’t think so,” said Krell flatly after no one responded. “Now keep moving!” And he turned and kept pace without a single backward glance.

There was little else to do but keep marching. And so they did.

For several more hours.

Rex knew they had a schedule. Knew that they had to take the capital and the planet as a whole sooner rather than later. But he and all the others were wearing several kilograms of armor and gear, had been involved in hours of infrequent fighting for the last rotation, and hadn't had much time to rest. To top it all off, they were in extremely hostile terrain and had to consciously try to not jump at every noise or shadow. And there were a lot of shadows.

Stim cartridges and energy bars could only do so much.

“Sir,” said a breathless voice from behind Rex. He turned to see Kix walking close behind him. “We’ve been keeping this pace for twelve hours now. The men are getting worn down.”

He was right, of course. Rex himself was doing alright – he’d long ago learned to banish tiredness from his mind in order to keep on moving for the time being – and the General seemed to be doing just fine, but he couldn’t expect that from every man in the battalion. Not after the harsh combat and long hours of marching with no end yet in sight.

“We should rest,” Rex decided. And so he quickened his pace and caught up to General Krell. The Besalisk didn’t even look tired. Perhaps there was some Jedi trick for keeping one’s strength up in times of need. If there was, Rex wasn’t about to ask him.

“General Krell,” he said, pointing ahead, “the top of this ridge will make a good place for the men to make camp.”

“The men don’t need rest,” Krell said, not even bothering to look down at him, “they need the resolve to complete the task at hand.”

What the hell was going on? Krell wasn’t acting like any Jedi Rex had ever met.

“But, sir –”

“CT-seventy-five-sixty-seven, are you reading me?”

Rex’s mouth almost fell open in shock. It was almost like he’d been slapped in the face. His training kicked in and his mouth worked. “E-Excuse me, sir?”

“I asked you a question, CT-seventy-five-sixty-seven,” Krell said, stopping and finally turning to face him as he crossed his upper set of arms over his chest. “Do you understand the need to adhere to my strategy?”

His number. He’d just addressed Rex by his number. He knew his name; he’d heard it. And yet he’d deliberately chosen to address Rex by his _number_. Despite the indignant anger that rose up in Rex, he did his absolute best to remain professional.

“Sir,” he said as diplomatically as he could, “the terrain is extremely hostile. Despite the difficulty of the conditions, the battalion is making good time. These men just need a little break.”

But Krell had already started to shake his head before Rex had even finished his sentence. He wagged one beefy finger in his face, forcing him to take a step back. “Captain,” he said, as though he were scolding a disobedient Youngling, “do I need to remind you of this battalion’s strategic mission in conquering this planet? Look back.”

Rex did, and he saw his men staring back at him. Fives, Kix, Hardcase, Tup, Dogma, Ringo, Oz, Kano, Mixer, Gunner, Sarge, Boro, Bow, Vill, and dozens of others. They were not happy. Their posture wasn’t quite as upright as it would have been. Everyone was operating on fumes. They could do it because this was exactly what they were bred for, but that didn’t mean they could do it forever.

Krell kept talking. “See those platoons? Their mission is to take this city and take it swiftly! Time and rest are luxuries the Republic cannot afford. We are the key to this invasion. The other battalions are counting on our support. If we fail, everyone fails! Do you understand this?” He was shouting now. “Do all of you understand this?” Silence. “Now move on!”

And he turned and continued walking down the path without even glancing back.

What choice did the clones have but to follow him?

* * *

“Alright . . . It’s a tie.”

“No, no. You clearly got destroyed.”

“How did I clearly get destroyed?” Blitzwing demanded, gesturing furiously at the turbodarts board. “That’s practically a tie!”

“Yeah,” Jetfire scoffed, folding his arms and shaking his head, “okay.”

Ahsoka – standing to one side and watching the tournament unfold – smiled and shook her head. After several intense back-to-back engagements, Blue Squadron had been granted some time to rest on the ship and recuperate. The space battle was currently in a bit of a stalemate, and it was likely to remain that way for some time.

Both the Separatists and the Republic were committing reinforcements to the fight. Neither side could afford to let this get out of hand. The Separatists were attempting to gain aerial superiority in order to finally land battle droids on the planet below in order to assist the Umbarans. The Republic was trying to do the same so that they could help the troops already on the ground by cutting off the enemy supply line and helping them retake the capital from orbit.

So far, Ahsoka, Barriss, and Bly were managing to keep things under control, despite the deadlock.

Ahsoka had received a comm from Anakin a few hours ago informing her that he had to take a leave of absence from the battlefield in order to assist the Chancellor with something on Coruscant. He was leaving the space battle up to her while General Krell took over his leadership of the 501st.

It wasn’t as though Ahsoka had never run a mission without her Master before, but whole planetary assault? That was a little different.

Still, she knew she could handle herself. So could Rex and Obi-Wan. Things were going fairly alright so far, so there was no reason to get more nervous than usual over nothing.

“Commander, come on,” Blitzwing begged, turning toward her. “Back me up here!”

“Sorry, Blitzwing,” she said, grinning as she waved him off. “I’m not getting involved. You’re on your own this time.”

“How come the Commander never gets in on these turbodart games?” asked Silverbolt, a relatively new pilot who was sitting atop a nearby table.

“Because she cheats,” Kickback said, folding his arms. “We caught her using the Force to guide her darts last time, so that was the end of that.”

“Hey,” Ahsoka shrugged, “I’m just using my skills to my advantage.”

“I think ancient space magic goes beyond ‘skills,’ ma’am,” reasoned Springer.

“You’re just jealous.”

“Pass,” dismissed Divebomb.

“Eh,” Inferno shrugged. “I don’t think the Force is for me. I’m down with good old-fashioned piloting.”

“I wouldn’t mind,” Evac said.

“Yes you would,” Soundwave said. “’Cause you’d be terminated.”

Ahsoka looked away, frowning. She didn’t need _that_ particular reminder. Her thoughts went back to Rex. What was he doing now? How were he and the men doing without Anakin around? Was the battle going well? She wanted to comm him but knew that they both had other responsibilities to attend to. He had a campaign to run and she had to manage the space battle. Besides, there was no telling if she’d actually get through to him – the enemy could be jamming communications. And if they weren’t, they might be monitoring them.

So she’d have to wait

Someone behind her cleared their throat. “Commander?”

Ahsoka turned to see Swoop enter through the doors of the rec room.

“Yeah?” Ahsoka asked. “What’s up?”

“Commander Bly’s requesting your presence on the bridge, ma’am,” Swoop said, giving her a quick salute. “Commander Offee’s sortie just ended. I think he wants to talk strategy.”

Ahsoka sighed. “Well, no rest for the weary,” she said, disengaging herself from her men and walking toward the door. “Rest up, Swoop, okay? There’s probably still some flying to do.”

Swoop nodded, passing her as he stepped further into the room. “Will do, ma’am. Good luck.”

Ahsoka gave him a two-finger salute before stepping through the door and out into the hallway outside. She made her way through the ship, passing pilots and crewmen on her way up to the bridge.

“Commander? Commander!”

Ahsoka whirled around to see who was trying to get her attention. A clone dressed in a naval officer’s uniform was walking swiftly toward her, waving. He looked and felt somewhat familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it . . .

_Oh!_

“Hey, Slipstream!” Ahsoka said, slowing her pace and allowing the officer to catch up to her. “What are you doing here?”

“I just transferred to the Five-Oh-First,” Slipstream explained. He reached her and the two continued walking down the corridor at a steady pace. “Blink did too, but he’s down on the ground with Captain Rex.”

“You both joined up?” Ahsoka asked, raising a brow. “I can’t believe I didn’t know that . . .”

“Ah, don’t beat yourself up over it,” Slipstream said, waving her off. “I heard you’ve been pretty busy these past couple of weeks.”

“I guess,” Ahsoka said as they stepped into the life. Getting kidnapped, going to Mon Cala, and finding out about Anakin and Padmé’s secret relationship. Yeah. Pretty busy indeed. “What made you decide to join us?”

“Well . . .” Slipstream said, looking a little hesitant. “Blink and I figured we’d better stay together after the Citadel and all that . . . and the fact that we’re the last clones from our whole unit . . . And we both really liked you and Captain Rex and General Skywalker. Thought your leadership and teamwork really helped carry us through that whole mess. So we chose the Five-Oh-First.”

Ahsoka blushed slightly. She often heard clones talk about how much they liked serving under her, Anakin, and Rex, but it always made her slightly embarrassed. To her, she was just doing her job as a leader. She needed to treat her men right. To trust them. To make them feel as though they were human. She knew that not all Jedi were like that. She and Anakin were pretty emotional; there was no denying that. But even Obi-Wan had formed a connection with most of his men. So had Master Plo. But not every Jedi managed it. It made her feel special to know that the clones considered it a privilege and an honor to serve both beside and under her.

“Oh,” she said. “Well . . . I’m glad you feel that way. And I hope we don’t let you down!”

“You haven’t so far, ma’am,” Slipstream said, standing at parade rest. “And I doubt you will.”

At that moment, the lift doors opened and the pair stepped out onto the bridge.

“Ah, Commander Tano, Lieutenant Slipstream, you’re here.” Bly was already making his way over toward them. “You should come and see this. We, er . . . have a bit of a problem.”

_Uh-oh._

Nervousness building up in the pit of her stomach, Ahsoka followed Bly and Slipstream over to the circular holotable in the center of the room. It was already activated, giving them all a live view of the planetary assault. Barriss stood to one side, pointing something out to Fireball and Broadside, who were looking over her shoulders expectantly.

“Hey, Barriss,” Ahsoka said as they reached the table, drawing the Mirilian Padawan’s attention. “How’d the sortie go?”

“It went fine,” Barriss reported. “Minimal casualties. And we held off the droid’s attack once more. I don’t think they’ll try it again for a while.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Bly said, taking off his helmet. He looked worried. The Commander pressed a series of buttons on the side of the holotable. Several extra readouts appeared on the fringe of the display. “An hour ago, we started detecting lightspeed signatures. Thought it was nothing at first, but more appeared. Four, to be exact.”

“Meaning?” Barriss asked.

_Oh, stang._

“Meaning the Seppies are sending reinforcements,” Bly clarified. “Another battlegroup of three ships. We’ll be outnumbered two to one within the hour.”

“Oh . . .”

Ahsoka frowned. That wasn’t good. Still, they couldn’t afford to retreat. Not when they had a lot of Republic forces still on the planet. And like everyone was saying: Umbara was important. They couldn’t afford to lose it. They’d have to hold their ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Deference for Darkness - Halo 3: ODST Soundtrack  
> (I knew this chapter title would be perfect for Umbara, so I've been saving it for a while lol)
> 
> There he is. I know some fics have a tendency to treat Krell like he's the antichrist (having him disrespect Ahsoka in some way, act like an asshole towards Jedi, abuse clones in some way other than making dangerous plans, and overall making him worse than he was depicted in the show), but I'm built different. If he was that obvious, he would've been suspected as a traitor a long time ago. We all hate him, but - like Palpatine - he's good at playing both sides.


	31. They're Still Out There

**Wilderness, Umbara**

“Sir,” Rex said, approaching General Krell with his helmet under one arm, “we’re ready to bring our forward platoons in for a surgical strike on the city’s defenses.” The 501st had finally made it close to what appeared to be the main road leading to the capital city. Fives and Drayk were just up ahead, scouting it out. They were nearly there.

“There won’t be any need, Captain,” said Krell.

What? Then what the hell had they come all this way for? What was the plan?

“Sir?” Rex asked, confused.

“All platoons will execute a forward assault along the main route to the city,” Krell said.

“But sir, General Skywalker’s plan was to surprise them with multiple attacks,” Rex objected. “If we come in from the main route, they’re likely to engage us in a full-frontal assault.”

“Change of plans, Captain,” Krell said, simply, turning away from him. “ _I’m_ in command now.”

Rex couldn’t let him go through with this. A frontal assault was too dangerous. There were too many lives on the line; too many clones would be killed and there was no telling if they’d even make any headway. They’d waste a lot of good men and probably accomplish little-to-nothing.

“With all due respect, General,” Rex said, trying to keep his voice calm, “we don’t know what we are up against. It might be wiser to think first –”

Krell rounded on him. “Are you questioning my order?” he demanded. Raising his wristcomm, he tapped it, bringing up a holographic display of the city: a large, central tower surrounded by branching lanes. It also showed a curving road leading through the foliage around the city straight toward its main gates. A pair of blue dots – representing the 501st, surely – moved along the road toward the city. “This battalion will take the main road straight to the capital. You will _not_ stop and you will _not_ turn back regardless of the resistance you meet.” He turned off the hologram. “We will attack them with _all_ our troops, not some sneak attack with a few men. That is my order. And you will follow it explicitly! Do I make myself clear, CT-seventy-five-sixty-seven?”

Rex sighed. “Yes, General.”

“Now engage!”

He stepped aside, allowing Rex to salute him, put on his helmet, and begin his walk back toward the forward position.

_Nobody’s going to like this._

And he was right. When he explained Krell’s new orders to the men, he was met with a fair bit of skepticism. But they were clones. They followed orders. So, within the hour, every able-bodied man was gathered up and they were marching down the main road toward the capital. Rex, Fives, and Drayk took the lead, while the rest of the men and the AT-RTs formed up behind them. It’d be some time before they actually reached the city, so they could afford to be a little loose with their formation. They still had to stay alert, though. No telling if there was an ambush or something just waiting to be sprung.

“So, why aren’t we sticking to the original plan and probing the city’s defenses first?” asked Tup, a few meters behind Rex.

“We can do this,” Hardcase said, glancing back at the younger clone. “Let’s take ‘em!”

“Yeah, leave it to Hardcase to dive in head-first,” Jesse remarked, shaking his head.

“Look, you may wanna die for the glory of the Republic and all that,” Attie piped up, “but I’m not lookin’ to do that today.”

“The General’s new plan is reckless,” said Fives, who was something of an expert on the subject.

“You ever think that _maybe_ the General knows what he is doing?” asked Dogma, sounding mildly offended.

"Ah, pack it in, Dogma," said Oz, shaking his head.

“I know _you_ think this is a bad idea,” Fives said, ignoring Dogma and turning to Rex.

_Of course I do. But I can’t just come out and say that and you know it._

If the men knew he didn’t have faith in Krell’s plan, they might not follow it. And then the entire command structure would fall apart. He couldn’t let that happen. This was all too important.

_Orders are there for a reason. They keep you alive._

“I . . . raised my objection to General Krell’s plan but he didn’t agree,” Rex said, keeping his voice low. He didn’t want everybody hearing him. “So this is it.”

“Well what if he’s wrong?” Fives maintained. “Then what?”

“This isn’t the time for a debate,” Rex said. “Right now, we have to stay alert.”

“We’ll talk about this later, Fives,” Drayk said. “Just stay focused on the task at hand.”

Fives grumbled but kept his mouth shut. The men kept on marching down the road, keeping their eyes both ahead of them and peering into the thick surrounding foliage. They did their best to see through the choking darkness and discern if there were any enemies ready to jump out and attack. Rex felt off. Problem was, he wasn’t sure why. It could’ve been the Force telling him something was wrong, his nervousness at the change of plan and their reckless new strategy, or his uneasiness due to having Krell as their new – albeit temporary – general. His situation was really throwing him off.

If only Ahsoka were here . . . she might be able to help him understand what he should do. But she had her own duties to attend to right now. Rex just had to make due.

“Eh, it’s too quiet out there,” Tup remarked, shaking his head as he held his rifle at the ready.

“Keep the chatter to a minimum,” Ven said. “We don’t want to get spooked for no reason.”

_Boom!_

Rex’s sound buffers kicked in, but that didn’t stop him from hearing the sudden screaming of his men. Whirling around, he saw the aftermath of a detonation. Several of his troopers were down; thrown either to the ground or up into the air by the force of the blast. Rex spotted several dismembered limbs lying motionless on the rocky ground, leaking blood.

_Boom!_

A second explosion rang out. Fives pushed Rex and Drayk to the ground and all three of them covered their heads. There was no telling if another explosion would come or how close it would be. Dirt, rocks, and permacrete clattered against their armor, kicked up by the most recent blast.

“Mines!” barked Fives. “Nobody move!”

Everyone – aside from the AT-RT drivers – lay as flat and still as they could, waiting. After several seconds, nothing else had happened. Rex slowly got to his feet and signaled to his men to check on the injured. Those closest to the blast moved carefully over to check the bodies.

“Oz is down!” Ridge called.

“So’s Ringo,” reported Blink.

“Can you sweep ‘em?” Rex asked, glancing over at Fives as the ARC trooper stood as well.

Fives nodded. Reaching into his belt, he pulled out a remote scanner tool and activated it, sweeping it across the ground around him. Once he was sure it was safe, he walked forward, his arm swiveling from left to right as he checked the area for more mines

“There’s more over here,” Fives said, his device beeping. “Looks like the whole road’s been booby-trapped.”

_Stang. That’s going to make things much more difficult._

Still, they had to keep moving: Krell’s orders.

“Everyone watch your step,” Drayk advised, falling in line behind Fives.

Rex motioned to his men before starting off after the others. They all fell in as well, now walking nearly single-file and treading carefully over the road.

And then, almost without warning, a giant ball of energy crashed into the ground a few meters to the group’s rear.

And then they were surrounded. From all sides, green blaster bolts flew at them as Umbarans materialized seemingly out of thin air to fire upon them. Rex drew his sidearms and began firing in any direction, dodging blaster fire as best he could on such short notice. The switch had flipped and adrenaline coursed through his system, allowing him to fight on autopilot while he attempted to make sense of the situation and figure out how to get them out of here alive.

“We’re completely exposed!” Tup screamed as everyone drew closer together, facing the enemy on each front.

“Hold your ground!” Rex bellowed.

“You want a piece of this?” Hardcase shouted, spinning up his rotary canon and opening fire into the foliage, taking out militia soldiers wherever he looked.

Another energy ball crashed into the ground several meters behind Rex, this time taking several clones out in the process.

“I think Hardcase made ‘em mad,” Jesse quipped.

“Shut up, Jesse. Just keep shooting!” Del ordered.

The Umbarans closed in, with several running up for close-quarters combat. One grabbed Tup from behind. Rex shifted his aim in order to help the young clone, but he took care of it himself. Tup grabbed the enemy combatant’s arm and flipped him over his shoulder, throwing him onto his back onto the ground before bringing up his DC-15 and putting a round right through his head.

_Not bad._

Another explosive ball appeared, this time scoring a direct hit on one of their AT-RTs, disintegrating the driver and sending the wreckage of the vehicle flying to the ground.

“We’re blown!” cried Rook.

“The Umbarans are advancing!” Fives warned, spinning to take out three soldiers in a row with his pistols.

“Make ‘em eat heat!” Hardcase bellowed, still firing into the oncoming enemy forces.

Vaughn and Pulsar waved several men over to the wreckage of one of the AT-RTs and crouched behind it, using both it and the crater next to it as cover to shoot out at the Umbarans.

Out of nowhere, a militiaman dropped out of the foliage and landed on the road right next to Rex and Fives. He kicked out at Fives, who caught the blow on his side and stumbled a bit, giving the Umbaran a chance to jump onto his back. Grunting, Fives grabbed his arm and pulled him right over his head and onto the ground before driving one armored elbow into the man’s green-tinged faceplate, cracking it. Panicked gibberish emanated from the person inside the suit, which was quickly silenced when Fives put several blaster bolts through his head.

Rex rolled past Fives to avoid a volley of blaster bolts and opened fire again, taking out another wave of advancing Umbarans before they’d managed to get any shots off. But for each combatant he killed, another appeared to take their place. They were losing men at an alarming rate.

“They’re coming from all directions!” said Dogma, panicked.

“We don’t have any cover!” Fives groaned.

“We need to fall back; get them to follow us,” Rex ordered. Krell’s plan be damned: if they didn’t make a tactical retreat right now, there weren’t going to be any men left to assault the capital with. “If we can draw them out, we can see them. If we can see them, we can hit them. All squads, fall back now!”

And then he was running. All of them were running, looking back every now and then to shoot at the Umbarans that raced after them. Blaster bolts – both blue and green – were thick in the air, several whizzing just past Rex’s head and torso. He was lucky. A lot of his men were not. The plan seemed to be working, at least. The Umbarans were following the 501st as they retreated, emerging from the foliage in order to pursue them.

“Get ready, here they come!” Fives shouted, diving over a downed AT-RT before turning around to aim at the oncoming Umbarans.

At that moment, another squad of AT-RTs emerged onto the road, along with another platoon of troopers. Reinforcements. Maybe they had a real chance at this after all.

“Stand fast,” Rex ordered, turning to hold his ground. “Hit ‘em with everything ya got.”

All his men formed up. Now that they had a position to defend, the clones were dug in, giving them a slight advantage over the advancing Umbarans. They – given that they were chasing the Republic forces – were the ones with no cover now, making them much easier targets for the clones’ blaster fire. It wasn’t long before they realized that they were no longer winning.

The sight of the enemy turning tail and running was almost enough to make Rex stop firing and sag with relief. Almost.

“Ha ha! Where’re you goin’?” Hardcase taunted, still firing at the retreating Umbarans. “Get back here!”

“They’re pullin’ back!” Fives shouted, lowering his weapon and standing up from his makeshift cover.

Slowly, the sounds of blaster fire faded as the troops realized that they were no longer under attack. Rex let out a long, slow breath. They’d made it. Most of them, anyway. Unfortunately, he didn’t have long to celebrate that.

“CT-seventy-five-sixty-seven,” send an unpleasant, familiar voice, “do you have a malfunction in your design?” General Krell had appeared out of nowhere and, pushing roughly past Fives, confronted Rex. “You pulled your forces back from taking the capital city. The enemy now has control of this route. This entire operation has been compromised because of your failure!” And he jammed one thick finger into Rex’s chestplate on the words ‘your failure,’ forcing Rex to take a hasty step back.

“General Krell,” Fives intervened, sounding livid, “in case you hadn’t noticed, Captain Rex just saved this platoon! Surely you won’t _fail_ to recognize _that_.”

Krell turned slowly toward the ARC trooper. “ARC-fifty-five-fifty-five, stand down.” His voice was low, now. Calm. And that made it all the more unnerving as he drew his green lightsaber, holding it threateningly next to Fives’ torso.

They glowered at one another for a long moment.

“Sir, yes, sir,” Fives said, the in his tone derision unmissable. And he turned and stalked off, his hands curled into fists.

This was more than Rex was willing to take lying down.

“Sir,” he said, catching Krell’s attention, “if I may address your accusation, I followed your orders. Even in the face of a plan that was, in my opinion, severely flawed. A plan that cost us men –” Rex ripped off his helmet, “– not clones. Men! As sure as it is my duty to remain loyal to your command, I also have another duty. To protect those men.”

Krell glanced around at the beleaguered men of the 501st, who had by now all stopped to watch the exchange between the Captain and the General. Then, he shut off his lightsaber, clipped it to his belt, and looked down at Rex.

“You have a spark of tenacity, Captain,” he said, smiling slightly, “I’ll give you that. I know that I don’t command like the Jedi you’re used to serving – certainly not like General Skywalker – but I have my way. It may be difficult, but these are difficult times. And it’s proven effective. I suppose your loyalty to your men is to be commended. They seem to admire this. That’s important to an effective commander. Alright, Captain Rex, your opinion has been noted. Dismissed.”

With that, he turned and walked away, clasping all four of his hands behind his back. Rex watched him go, unsure of what exactly he should be feeling. Triumph at maybe getting through to him? Anger at the way he’d treated Fives? Unease at the blasé way he’d waved off the deaths of who knew how many men? He wasn't sure. And the tremors he was feeling in the Force weren't helping his mood, though he wasn't sure what they were supposed to mean.

“I think he almost complimented you,” Fives remarked, moving closer once more.

“Ah, it’s hard to tell,” Rex said, shaking his head.

“Incoming!” Hardcase shouted.

Another energy sphere smashed into the ground several meters away, coming from up the road towards the capital. Rex jammed his helmet back onto his head and drew his pistols, sighting up and trying to pinpoint where the enemy was coming from this time.

“The Umbarans must’ve regrouped for a counter-attack,” Rex muttered. “Everyone, we must hold this position!”

_No rest for the weary._

He, Fives, Drayk, and Mixer formed up and ran toward the front line, readying their weapons and taking cover as the Umbarans advanced toward them from ahead.

“You think General Krell still intends on taking the capital using this strategy?” Fives asked.

Rex didn’t want to think about it. Not right now.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I’ll get back to you on that if we survive this battle.”

* * *

“Hey, Snips. How’s the battle going?” asked the holographic version of Anakin that was currently being projected from the holotable in front of Ahsoka.

The ship shook slightly, causing her to have to brace herself against the table to stop herself from falling over. “Uh, could be better,” she said. “The tinnies called in reinforcements, so we’re a little outnumbered right now.”

“Can you handle it?” Anakin asked, looking concerned.

“I think so,” Ahsoka said. They’d gotten out of worse scrapes than this; surely she and the others could pull a win right now. “We just have to keep at it. We can’t afford to fall back right now. What’s the Chancellor have you doing?”

Anakin frowned, folding his arms over his chest. “Master Fisto and I are tracking down a CIS assassin,” he said. “Apparently, she tried to kill Senator Chuchi and the Chancellor thought I’d be the best man for the job.”

“Is Riyo okay?” Ahsoka asked, suddenly anxious. She didn’t want anything to happen to her friend, especially since she was halfway across the galaxy and unable to do anything to help her.

“She’s fine,” Anakin assured her. “Just shaken. It was a near miss.”

Ahsoka let out a relieved sigh. “Okay,” she said. “Is she safe?”

“Fox and Thorn haven’t let her out of their sight since it happened. She’s got ‘round-the-clock guards and Padmé’s taken some time off to look after her,” Anakin explained. “Don’t worry, Snips, she’ll be alright.”

Fox certainly wasn’t about to let anything happen to Riyo; Anakin was right about that. Besides, it wasn’t like Ahsoka could do anything to help at the moment. She just needed to stay focused on the task at hand. She would have to trust that Fox, Thorne, and Padmé could take care of her while Anakin and Master Fisto hunted down the assassin. She could do that.

“Anyway,” Anakin said, clearing his throat and shifting topics, “how’s the ground battle going? Have you heard from Obi-Wan? Rex?”

Ahsoka shrugged. “I haven’t heard directly from Obi-Wan, but Cody commed a little while ago to let us know that they were on-schedule despite encountering some heavy resistance. They’re getting ready for their strike on the capital.” She bit her lip. “I . . . haven’t heard from Rex at all. Or even Drayk. Fireball and Sandcat did a flyover of their last known position and said that they saw Republic activity, so they’re still down there. They just haven’t contacted us. At all.”

She didn’t want to admit that she was worried that something had happened. She knew that Rex hadn’t been killed or seriously injured – she would’ve had another Saleucami episode if _that_ had happened – but that didn’t mean that there wasn’t some other serious complication. Were communications jammed? Were they under fire and taking heavy losses? What was going on?

“Hey.” Anakin’s voice snapped her out of her spiraling thoughts. She looked up at him. “You worried?”

“Maybe . . .”

“Remember, Ahsoka, this is Rex we’re talking about,” Anakin reminded her, giving her a reassuring smile. “I’m sure he’s got everything under control. And General Krell is no pushover either. They’re probably just experiencing heavier resistance and can’t get a signal through. They’re the ones attempting to breach the capital’s outer defenses, so the Umbarans are focusing on them more than Obi-Wan. No need to jump to conclusions just yet.”

“You’re right, Master,” Ahsoka said. She knew that, but it was hard not to worry anyway. “I’m sure they’re fine.”

“It’s good that you care about your troops,” Anakin said appraisingly. “I know they appreciate it.”

Ahsoka chuckled. “I’d hope so.”

The ship shook again.

“Sounds like you’re busy, so I won’t keep you,” Anakin said. “Keep up the good fight, Ahsoka. With any luck, I’ll get this wrapped up and be back in another couple of rotations.”

“Don’t worry, Master,” Ahsoka said, smiling, “I’m sure I’ll have the tinnies on the run by the time you _finally_ get back here.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Anakin said, shaking his head. “Over and out.”

“Over and out.”

The hologram flickered out just as a helmetless Commander Bly stepped into the command center from the bridge.

“Commander Tano?”

“What is it, Bly?” Ahsoka asked, turning toward him.

“We’re locked in a stalemate,” Bly said, walking toward the holotable and pressing a few buttons. A live feed of the battlefront above the planet appeared, showing the three Republic cruisers and six Separatist ships that were a mix of frigates and dreadnaughts. “We’re managing to repel the enemy Vultures and Tri-fighters, but the Umbarans just sent in reinforcements; their own starfighters. We’re having problems with them and now we’re completely locked on the defensive.” He brought up an image of the Umbaran fighters; sleek, fast-moving craft with an odd shape that reminded Ahsoka almost of some sort of flying insect.

Ahsoka leaned against the table. “Great,” she muttered. “Any thoughts?”

“Not particularly,” Bly said morosely. “We’re outnumbered and at overstretch. If we make a move and it doesn’t work out, we might be forced to retreat or risk taking too many losses.”

“And in doing so, we’d be abandoning our forces on the ground,” Ahsoka pointed out.

“I know, ma’am.”

Retreat wasn’t on the cards. Ahsoka wasn’t about to leave Rex, Obi-Wan, and Cody hanging when they needed her support.

“Let Blue Squadron know to be on standby,” Ahsoka decided. “I’m going out there with them as soon as I can to see if we can break through their defenses. Maybe some Jedi support is all we need.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Bly nodded. He hesitated. “Maybe . . . you should get some rest first. You’ve been up for almost twenty-four hours straight, now.”

Ahsoka ran a hand down her face. Maybe. Still, she was needed. She shouldn’t be slacking off. “I dunno . . .”

“Commander Offee and I can handle things for a few hours,” Bly assured her. “We need everyone operating at a hundred percent. That includes you.”

Ahsoka snorted. “When did you become my mother?”

Bly chuckled. “I haven’t,” he said. “But Rex would tan my hide if he knew I let you drag yourself through the wringer and didn’t at least try to stop you.”

Ahsoka gave a tired smile. He was right. She couldn’t lead her troops into battle when she was dead tired. Jedi or not, she wasn’t invincible or infallible. She needed to be at her best.

“Okay,” she said, holding up her hands. “Ya got me. I’ll get some sleep before going out there.”

Bly nodded. “Excellent decision, ma’am. See you in a few hours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're Still Out There - The Last of Us Part 2 Soundtrack
> 
> The boys go once more unto the breach. Rip Oz and Ringo; two more for the metaphorical graveyard. I haven't written a straight-up battle in a while and I gotta say it's pretty fun because it gives me the opportunity to give a few nods to a bunch of different troopers in a short amount of time.
> 
> Sidenote: I'm writing the aftermath of Umbara, which is an arc all by itself, and keeping count of the named casualties. It's taking up half a page all by itself!


	32. Traffic Jam

**Front lines, Umbara**

Things were not going very well.

The battle had escalated from a surprise counter-attack to a full-on offensive on the part of the Umbarans. It was everything Rex could do just to hold down a position, let alone advance. Men were falling left and right on both sides, but no one showed any signs of letting up.

The Umbarans had started calling in air support. Their strange, oddly-shaped starfighters swooped lower over the Republic forces. They lit up clones with laser fire, destroyed AT-RTs using explosive energy spheres, and even floated close to the ground and knocked men aside by spinning around. To make matters worse, it seemed as though the clones’ weapons were barely scratching the vehicles – they had some sort of energy field protecting them that rendered blasters ineffective.

Rex pressed himself against some sort of tree alongside Dogma, Arno, and Checkers just as one of the starfighters swooped overhead, shooting off into the darkened sky after executing a bombing run that had flattened half a squad.

“We have got to move before those fighters come back!” he bellowed.

“Rex!” shouted a voice. “Rex, over here!”

He looked over to see Kix waving at him frantically from across an open area. He was attempting to help someone who was still alive. Stang. They were gonna have to move. Rex waved his men onward, standing himself and readying his sidearms as a second squad joined him.

“Jesse – take the right flank!” he ordered, laying down covering fire as he sprinted into the open. “Dogma – take the right flank!” Without question, his men followed his orders, their blasters firing into the darkness around them as bolts flew past; both green and blue.

In seconds, they reached Kix’s position. He had reached down and grabbed a man – Vill – by the legs, dragging him back into the relative cover of a large tree. The poor _vod_ groaned, clearly in agony.

“You’re gonna be okay, buddy,” Kix assured him, pushing him up against the tree and tearing off Vill’s helmet. “This’ll ease the pain.” And with that, he produced a syringe and stuck it right into Vill’s neck, pressing down upon the injector with his thumb as the younger clone tensed in surprise before going limp.

General Krell appeared not too far away, taking cover behind a tree as Hardcase and Dogma laid down fire nearby. Reaching into his belt, he took out a holoprojector and activated it, one foot moving a fallen clone out of his way. A hologram of General Kenobi appeared.

“The capital city is too fortified,” Kenobi reported, raising his voice in order to be heard over the din of combat. “We need your battalion to help us take it!”

“Resistance from the Umbarans has been greater than anticipated,” Krell said as Rex made his way over. “We’re holding our ground at the moment.”

“We’ve gathered intel on an airbase to the west,” Kenobi said. “It is resupplying the capital’s defenses.”

“Incoming, _incoming_!” warned Blink.

A split second later, another energy sphere crashed into the ground only meters from their position, sending several men flying and causing Rex and everyone around him aside from Krell to duck for cover.

“Get down, get down!” urged Boro, shoving several injured men to the ground to shield them from the blast.

“If you could capture that airbase, it would sever the capital’s supply lines,” Kenobi said, “allowing the rest of our forces to move in.”

“I’ll see to it that the airbase is placed under our control,” Krell affirmed, nodding.

“Remember, General Krell, the entire invasion depends on your battalion.”

_No pressure or anything._

Krell nodded, switching off the projector and placing it back on his belt. “Captain Rex,” he said, glancing over, “have those coordinates mapped and all troops ready to move out immediately.”

_Oh. Earned the right to be called by my name, have I?_

“Yes, General!”

They needed to get out of this firefight and get a move on as soon as possible. Lives depended on it.

* * *

It was a few hours later when they reached a ridge close enough to the airbase to get visual contact on it.

Rex, Fives, Krell, and Drayk stood on a rock outcropping above a deep gorge that their battalion was currently descending into. A couple of klicks ahead, Rex could see a tall, brightly lit tower extending high into the black sky. It had to be the base they were looking for.

“Here,” Drayk said, handing Rex a pair of electrobinoculars. “Take a look.”

Rex accepted them from the other captain and raised them to his visor, surveying both the base and the terrain as best he could.

“There’s a base there, alright,” he reported. “It looks heavily guarded. At least three tank divisions plus guns.” He lowered the 'binos.

“We’ll advance along the central gorge and engage their forces in a full forward assault,” Krell surmised, folding all his arms across his chest.

Rex got down on one knee and raised the electrobinoculars once more, scanning the gorge below. If that was to be their gateway, then he’d better survey the terrain they’d be passing through. What he saw didn’t exactly fill him with confidence.

“The gorge is narrow, sir,” he said, somewhat skeptically. “We’ll only be able to move our platoons in single squads. Perhaps a closer recon will tell us if there’s a more secure route.” He stood and looked over at the General, hoping he’d see sense this time.

Krell scratched his rounded chin. “Obi-Wan and the other battalions are holding up the enemy right now while they wait for us to take out this base,” he said. “We don’t have time to look for a more secure route.”

Without another word, he turned and walked away. Rex took that to mean that the conversation was over. His orders had been given.

“Yes, sir,” Rex said, though he doubted Krell was still listening.

“Come on,” Drayk sighed, shaking his head. “We’d better go inform the men.”

“They’re gonna _love_ hearing this one,” Fives muttered.

“Knock it off,” Rex said, handing the electrobinnoculars back to Drayk as the trio circled the ridge and began the steep descent down the wall towards the bottom. “Let’s just get this over with.”

“Oh, it’ll be ‘over with,’ alright,” Drayk said. “Over with for most of us.”

“You got that right.”

“Can we not start this now?” Rex said, attempting to keep his balance on the steep incline down into the gorge. “Just let me explain the plan and we’ll go from there, alright?”

Neither Fives nor Drayk said anything further, but he could tell that they weren’t happy with his response. Well, neither was he. But there wasn’t much he could do about it. They had their orders. They had to follow them. It was that simple.

They reached the bottom, where most of the men had already assembled, and Rex made his way to the front of the large group assembled there. He took off his helmet and faced the men.

“Alright, listen up,” he said, raising his voice to address them all. “We’ll assemble the squads into two divisions. We’ll move straight up this gorge towards the airbase at the far side.” Simple.

“The casualties are going to be high,” Kix warned, prompting Boro and Coric to mutter unhappy agreements.

“Is Krell trying to get us killed?” demanded Tup, sounding as though he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“You know, I wasn’t sure that Krell was crazy before,” Jesse, helmetless, piped up, “but now I’m positive!”

“We had to retreat from the capital because the General pushed a flawed strategy,” Fives barked. “Now _this_?”

_Damn it. You couldn’t have kept your mouth shut for a few minutes?_

“I don’t know,” Hardcase said. “Could be fun!”

“Shut it, Hardcase,” said Attie, shoving him lightly.

“Well I, for one, agree with the General’s plan,” protested Dogma, loyal as ever. “We’re running out of time and this is the best option.”

“No recon? No air support?” Jesse asked, thumping his helmet against his head. “We don’t know what we’re up against. They have weapons we’ve never seen before!”

Rex needed to step in. “A few of General Skywalker’s plans seemed reckless too,” he reasoned, “but they worked.”

“Yeah, but General Skywalker is usually leading his men up in the front,” Fives pointed out. “Not bringing up the rear like General Krell. A full forward assault would leave us too exposed.”

General criticism started coming in from the men.

“We’ll be marching straight into enemy fire,” said Del.

“This is crazy,” said Pulsar.

“Agh,” scoffed Kano. “This is _suicide_.”

“Sure wish General Skywalker was here,” lamented Vaughn.

“We have to look at other options,” Drayk piped up.

“This makes no sense,” Mixer said, folding his arms.

“It’s gonna be a meat grinder down there!” fretted Nax.

“Fives,” Rex said, jerking his head to one side. They needed to have a discussion.

The two clones put several meters between them and the rest of the men, walking over a nearby hill so they’d have some privacy to talk.

“It would help if you eased their minds,” Rex said. Having Fives back him up would be nice. If everyone was actually on the same page, things would certainly be going a lot smoother.

“What, you mean coax them into following another one of Krell’s suicide missions?” Fives demanded, scowling. “We lost a _lot_ of men last time.”

“Krell may do things differently but he _is_ effective at getting them done,” Rex argued. “He’s a recognized war hero.”

Fives pushed back. “He may have had some victories, but have you seen his casualty numbers? More troopers have been killed under his command than anyone else!”

Rex sighed. “That’s the price of war, Fives.” He placed a hand on his own chest. “We’re soldiers. We have a duty to follow orders and, if we must, lay down our lives for victory.”

He turned to go, but Fives caught him by the arm.

“You believe that?” he asked. “Or is that what you were engineered to think?”

_Isn’t that what somebody programmed you to believe, Captain?_

Rex didn’t look back. “I honor my code,” he said, simply. “That’s what I believe.” And he shook out of Fives’ grasp and walked back toward the men.

He had some convincing to do.

* * *

Fives couldn’t believe they were actually going through with this, but he couldn’t seem to stop Rex or Drayk from going against orders, even when said orders were leading them all into the slaughterhouse.

They’d been marching through the gorge for some time now, not encountering any resistance. It was putting Fives on-edge. Why hadn’t the enemy tried to stop them yet? They must know that the Republic forces were on their way. The clones were close to the airbase now; within a klick or two. Fives, Rex, and Hardcase had separated from the main force in order to conduct some light recon. The three of them were on their stomachs atop a small hill as Rex took out a pair of electrobinoculars and surveyed the airbase in the distance.

“Is everyone clear on the plan?” Rex asked. “Hardcase?”

“Yes, sir,” the other clone nodded.

“Fives?”

Fives didn’t answer. He didn’t like this at all; it was stupid. Brainless. Nothing like anything General Skywalker ever would’ve done.

“Are you clear?”

Still, he needed to stand with his brothers one way or the other. He wasn’t just going to turn his backs on them because he didn’t like what they were doing. There would be another time to stick it to Krell. Now wasn’t it.

“Yeah,” Fives said, nodding.

“Alright,” Rex said, putting the electrobinoculars back on his belt, “get in your groups. Let’s move out.”

Swallowing his indignation for the moment, Fives stood and walked back toward the men with the other two. He and Hardcase split off toward the left, while Rex went right. They’d split up the battalion fairly evenly; each taking a few platoons and half of the remaining AT-RTs.

“Alright, men,” Fives said, drawing his two DC-17s as he and Hardcase reconvened with the main force, “let’s get this show on the road. Be ready for anything.”

A quiet chorus of “yes, sir” followed his order.

Together, the clones tightened their formation and began their trek through a rough path leading through the otherwise densely-packed, twisted black trees that dotted the hilly landscape. They went slow, careful to keep their weapons off safe and peering around at the darkness around them.

Clearly, Fives wasn’t the only one on-edge.

For good reason.

“Everybody stay alert,” Fives said. “Fingers on the trigger.” He doubted anyone needed to hear that, but it was always better to be clear.

Ahead, a trio of the glowing green, flying insectoids that had attacked them earlier flew through the air right towards the group of clones. They didn’t swoop down to pick a fight this time, though. Strange.

Attie raised his weapon, but Ridge stopped him from opening fire.

“Wait!” he hissed. “We don’t want to give away our position.”

“And they’re not attacking us,” Del pointed out.

“They look spooked,” mused Rook, glancing upwards.

“What, are you an expert now that you’ve seen ‘em up close and personal?” Toomer asked, punching him on the shoulder.

And then, there was a low ‘boom’ and the ground began to shake violently.

“What the –” Hardcase mumbled.

The entire division stopped marching. Something was off. Fives spread his feet in order to steady himself and began to look around, searching for the source of the disturbance. But there was nothing. All the same, the ground continued to shake and tremble, becoming more violent with each passing second.

_What the hell’s going on?_

And then, to their left, the ground burst open.

A huge, undulating creature emerged and towered over the group. It was cylindrical, with many sharp-looking legs protruding from it. Some sort of giant worm. Millipede. The thing was dark, but there were several patches of blue light coming from certain sections all over its body. And that was when Fives realized: it wasn’t a creature. It was a _vehicle_.

“Oh, scray . . .” Mixer muttered, echoing Fives thoughts as he backed away from the vehicle in shock.

It bore down on the clones, and Fives caught a glimpse of the front of the worm. Where its head would be was a glowing blue pod through which he could just make out the operator; an Umbaran standing upright in some sort of chamber, controlling the thing only with what appeared to be his hands and feet.

“Blast it!” Fives bellowed, backing away with the others.

Everyone opened fire, but the worm did too.

The thing had blaster cannons attached to the top of its cylindrical body as well as all around its cockpit. As it surged forward toward the clones, those blasters started firing wildly in every direction. The clones backed away, their own blaster bolts merely glancing off the sides of the worm, clearly doing no damage at all.

“Fall back!” Fives shouted as several men were cut down by bolts shot from the mechanized monstrosity.

Everyone turned tail and ran for their lives. They scattered among the trees and other foliage in the area, seeking any cover they could find. A few of the AT-RTs were destroyed, with their drivers either killed or wounded in the ensuing blast. Fives found himself pinned against a tree alongside Hardcase and Mixer, shooting up at the worm as it barreled past them. A few bolts very nearly missed Fives’ head, causing him to duck involuntarily even though the danger had already passed. Fives knew they were in real trouble when he saw a second worm erupt from the ground a few meters to the right, blasting the driver off another AT-RT before turning to harass another squad.

“Its head is ray-shielded!” Hardcase shouted.

“We need rocket launchers!” Fives said. Projectile weapons and explosives would do the trick, and a rocket launcher would do just fine since they wouldn’t have to get too close to the things.

“Move, move!” Mixer shouted, pushing both Fives and Hardcase to their feet as the ground split not too far away and a third worm appeared out of the ground, undulating unnaturally as it turned to plow through the clones’ position, literally crushing those that weren’t fast enough to get out of its way.

Fives tapped his commlink – open frequency. “Mayday, mayday!” he bellowed through the link. “Rex, we need rocket launchers _now_!”

There was barely even a pause. “Copy that,” replied the Captain’s voice. “On our way!”

“I’ll get it!” Hardcase said immediately.

“Go!”

And he was off, leaving Fives to hold down the position by himself. Well, he wasn’t alone; his brothers were all around him. But it still felt like that given the darkness and the negligible effectiveness their weapons were having on the worms. It was only a minute or two before Hardcase returned, now with a rocket launcher slung over one shoulder, but it felt much longer. The confusion of battle, the adrenaline pumping through Fives’ veins, the shouts of pain and fear from the men around him, the darkness. Everything came together to make the seconds feel like hours.

“I got it!” Hardcase said, shaking his new weapon.

“Let’s move up!” Fives shouted. “We can’t afford to miss.”

And so the two of them pushed up towards the machines. Fives did his best to cover Hardcase, firing both of his pistols in the hopes of painting himself as a bigger target. He knew he wasn’t doing any actual damage, but it made him feel better.

The pair took cover behind some trees just outside of a small clear area. One of the worms had completed a circle and was coming around for another run; right at them. It gave them both a very nice view of its cockpit. The one good thing about the design of the vehicles was that the glowing blue ‘head’ was pretty damn hard to miss.

Quickly as he could, Hardcase shouldered the launcher and primed it, taking aim only for a split-second before pulling the trigger and sending an explosive right into the face of the oncoming monstrosity.

The ensuing explosion was _massive_.

The rocket fired by the launcher punched right through the ray-shield around the head and burst it apart, sending a chain reaction of detonations ripping through the vehicle as it reared up automatically. Despite the damage it had sustained, it still moved forward. Probably out of momentum more than anything else, as the operator was almost certainly dust.

Fives and Hardcase both ran for it, diving toward another tree and pressing themselves up against it just as the wreckage of the worm crashed against it; inches away from flattening the both of them. Yet they were still alive.

Fives let out a short breath. “Oh, that was close,” he breathed.

“You got a point there,” Hardcase agreed.

“Move it, trooper,” Fives said, suppressing an eye roll. They still had another worm to destroy.

He pushed himself up over the wreckage and slid down the other side, making for the area where the rest of their forces had congregated. Behind him, he heard Hardcase doing the same.

“Everyone regroup now!” Rex barked from somewhere ahead. “Take cover!”

Fives just followed the sound of the Captain’s voice, as well as the bodies of clones bolting for what seemed to be a dense, circular patch of tall foliage some meters to the rear of their group. The trees and other plants were tough enough and close enough together that it just might buy them some time to get everyone together before those things launched another proper assault.

Slipping between the trees, he and Hardcase rejoined the main force. Men were crowded around. Kix, Coric, and Boro were already tending to a few of the wounded and most of the able-bodied men were reloading or checking to make sure their comrades were still up and ready to go. Rex stood in the center, overseeing everyone. Fives made his way over to him.

“We’re safe for the moment,” he said, “but they’ll be comin’ around any second.”

Rex turned to the others. “Bring up the launchers,” he ordered. “Spread detonators along that corridor. Trap them into the bottleneck. We’re gonna blow those things sky-high.”

_Now_ this _is a solid plan._

A refreshing change of pace at the moment.

As Hardcase and Ox made ready with their launchers, Fives and Denal sidled over to Mixer, who opened his pack and allowed the two other clones to remove thermal detonators from it.

“Hurry up,” Denal said, sprinting forward to prime his detonators and spread them as widely in front of them as he could, “we only have a few seconds.”

Fives mimicked him, priming his own detonators and rushing forward, tossing as many as he could out onto the ground just outside of their semi-covered position. The moment the last charge left his hand, he turned on his heel and darted back toward his brothers.

Everyone else had primed their weapons and taken cover, watching and waiting.

“Here they come,” Dogma warned.

Fives turned and saw that he was right. The two remaining worms had circled around in the distance and were surging back toward the clones. All they could do now was stand their ground and hope their plan worked. If it didn’t, the enemy would be right on top of them.

“Keep the launchers on standby,” Drayk ordered. “Get their attention!”

Some of the men in the back stood tall, discarding their weapons as they waved their arms and shouted at the worms as they approached. Taunts, challenges, and some rather creative insults. They were all in now. If this didn’t work, they were going to have a lot more casualties. To Fives’ right, Rex held up the detonator, his thumb poised over the button.

Closer. Closer. Closer.

Fives’ hands tightened into fists. The worms were almost on top of them now, their laser cannons powering up and swiveling toward the clones, taking aim in the brief moment before opening fire.

Rex’s finger pressed the button.

And the explosion was _massive_.

The detonators went off right underneath the first worm, engulfing the head of the vehicle in a series of violent, bright explosions and sending it careening around the field as most of its body blew apart. This set off a chain reaction as it crashed into the second worm and the pair careened around wildly, their momentum carrying them toward the clones’ position even as they were rocked by explosions.

There was no order to take cover – everyone just did.

Fives and the others scattered, diving for cover behind trees and into trenches. As Fives threw himself behind the upturned branches of one of the immense trees alongside Tup and Edge, he saw Rex jump behind a nearby trench just before the wreckage of the two worms crashed into his position and landing in a heap on the ground nearby.

“We got ‘em, we got ‘em!” cheered Attie.

Fives let out the breath he’d been holding. They did it. They managed to hold it together despite the odds. They just might make it through this crazy plan mostly in one piece. He hoped.

“Good job,” Rex said, pushing himself to his feet. “Alright, let’s move out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Traffic Jam - Halo 3: ODST Soundtrack
> 
> Lots of action, confusion, and explosions today.
> 
> I found it a bit strange that Krell refers to Appo by his name in this episode. I get that it was the only way of us figuring out that the clone trooper depicted was supposed to be him, but still odd.


	33. Paint It Black

**Forests, Umbara**

Rex led his men through the smoking, still burning wreckage of the two worm-like vehicles that had attacked them. It was quiet aside from the crackle of fire, the sparking of electricity, and the clatter of their plastoid boots on the dirt. There was also the occasional chirping of the glowing, flying insectoid creatures as they floated overhead. They didn’t swoop down to attack, though.

A flash of blue light off to the right caught Rex’s attention. He motioned for the group to halt and glanced over. Not far away was the head of one of the worms. It flashed again.

“That one’s still got some juice in it,” Rex said, motioning to Hardcase. “Waste it.”

“Sure.”

The clone dropped to one knee and raised his rocket launcher. Taking a moment to aim, he sent a rocket right into the front of the machine. The transparasteel covering shattered in an impressive cloud of bright blue-green fire and smoke. After a moment, an Umbaran stepped out of the wreckage and collapsed onto the ground, letting out a pitiful wail.

He stirred feebly.

“No juice left in _him_ , either,” Rex remarked. As he led the clones forward once more, he lowered one of his sidearms and put two rounds through the injured Umbaran’s head.

Prisoners wouldn’t be much use to them at the moment.

Up ahead, there was movement.

As they drew closer, Rex managed to make out a small group of the green-glowing, flying insects crowded around a corpse. A white armored corpse. They chirped softly and nudged at the body, their jaws opening and closing as they tried to feast on the meat trapped inside of the armored suit.

“Hey!” shouted Kix, enraged. Rushing forward, he raised his DC-15 and blasted one of the three insects. “Ya still hungry? Chew on that!”

The other two launched themselves into the air as he approached, attempting to escape. Kix shot down a second insect, but the other flew past him; right toward Rex and the others.

Rex raised his pistol once more and shot the creature dead in the face when it got too close. It flopped to the ground, chirping, and he put a few more bolts into it for good measure.

It didn’t make any more noise after that.

“Everyone, keep moving!” he called.

“Hey, Kix, leave it,” prompted Drayk. Kix, who still had his blaster trained on the fallen insects, slowly trudged back over to join the head of the group.

Together, they continued walking ahead. They really had to be getting close to the airbase by now. Rex could only hope there wouldn’t be any more ‘surprises’ in store for them.

Sadly, it wasn’t to be.

As they reached the other side of the wreckage and began once more trekking through the trees, Rex took a moment to raise his electrobinoculars and scan the terrain ahead of them. To his horror, he saw two huge, hulking things emerge from the gloom half a klick away. They were crab-like in appearance, with a circular body held up by four enormous legs. Atop it was massive cannon emplacement that swiveled toward the clones as it came into view.

“We’ve got a problem!” Rex said his voice tight.

And the cannon fired.

“Back!” Rex screamed, turning and running as the energy sphere hurtled toward them. “Fall back now!”

It smashed into the ground where he’d been moments before, the force of the blast kicking him forward as he and his men once more retreated toward the trees. Another round of explosions rocked an area a few meters away. He heard the screams of clones and saw bodies go flying as dove behind the trunk of a nearby tree.

His commlink went off.

“Captain,” came General Krell’s stern voice. He did not sound happy. “Continue your attack!” He must’ve been surveying their progress from their earlier position. He and a smaller group of the battalion had stayed behind to ‘watch the rear.’

“Sir,” Rex said, activating his wristcomm, “we’re overpowered. We need reinforcements!”

“The rest of the battalion is holding the entrance to the gorge, Captain,” Krell replied, as though he were explaining the most obvious thing in the world. “They’re guarding it so your troops can break through to the airbase!”

Another sphere hit the ground on the other side of the tree. A rocket launcher flew up into the air and landed right next to Rex’s leg. There was no sign of its owner.

“Sir!” he protested. “We can’t possibly –”

“Stand your ground!” Krell barked. “Do you read me? Captain, are you listening? Do not fall back! That is an order!”

And the link cut out.

_Well, that’s that._

He looked up to see several of his men staring at him.

“Well?” Drayk asked. “What’s the plan?”

Rex didn’t answer for a moment. He gritted his teeth together. They couldn’t retreat. They had to stay and slug it out with these things, outgunned or not.

“Rex?’

“Drayk,” he ordered, pointing at him. “Go around and make sure everyone stays in formation; we don’t want anyone wandering away and getting picked off. Coric, Denal – I want you two to round up the medics and get the wounded out of the way if you can. Those tanks are dangerous, so _be careful_. Vaughn, keep up communications; we want to make sure orders are coming through to everyone loud and clear. Lieutenant Claws – you and Sergeant Plagg need to round up anyone with explosive weapons and organize them. Those might be our only chance to take these things out.”

“Yes, sir,” saluted the gung-ho Lieutenant Claws as the men scrambled to carry out Rex’s orders. “Claws out!”

“Rex!” called a voice off to the left. He looked over to see Kix dragging over a wounded Sergeant Ando. “I need your help!”

Rex scrambled over and grabbed Ando by the arm as gently as he could, helping Coric to pull him toward the tree before setting him down against its trunk. He could still feel the man moving feebly, so he was at least still alive. For now.

“Keep the wounded as quiet as possible,” Rex advised, stepping back as Nino and Nax dragged an injured but still breathing Sarge over and placed him down next to Ando.

Kix went to work on the injured, while Rex turned his attention to Fives and a few other men, who had stopped nearby and were obviously waiting on a sitrep. He’d surely heard t the broadcast from Krell, but he had a feeling Fives wasn’t going to follow orders until he heard them from Rex’s own mouth.

“Alright,” he said, “you heard the General. Let’s go.”

“You can’t be serious,” Jesse protested, peering around a tree and watching as blaster green blaster bolts and energy spheres flew past all around them.

“I used to think General Krell was reckless,” Fives said, “but now I’m beginning to think he just hates clones.”

“The Captain is right,” Dogma maintained. “Now let’s move out.”

Rex made to walk back out onto the field, but Fives caught his shoulder.

“We can’t take them head-on,” he said, his voice low. At least he had enough tact for that. “We need to find another way.”

Rex clapped his shoulder. “Have you got any ideas?”

Fives looked down, shaking his head.

“Then this is it.”

And Rex pushed past him and led his men back out into combat.

He was on autopilot again; running, dodging, and shoot when and wherever his adrenaline-filled brain – _and maybe the Force_ – told him to. While he did that, he was thinking. Or at least trying to. Was Fives right? Men were falling left and right, picked off by blaster fire, the energy cannons, or even the legs of the two huge tanks that were now up close and personal with them.

_We need to find another way._

Another way . . . But what could they do? They’d been given a direct order to keep pushing. They had to follow it. Maybe a splinter force could accomplish something, but could he spare the men? A small team with a focused goal. But what would that be?

As he led a squad right underneath one of the tanks, he saw several rockets hit the vehicle right around its glowing, circular cockpit. But nothing happened. Rockets weren’t working on the tanks.

_Shit. We don’t have the firepower to take those things out._

_What are we gonna do?_

He needed to come up with something and he needed to do it _fast_. As he and Fives dived for cover behind another tree to avoid the leg of one of the tanks, a thought came to him. Their own weapons weren’t working on the things, but what if the _enemy’s_ weapons did?

A plan started to form.

“Help me with the wounded!” Kix called.

Rex looked back towards where he and Fives had just come from to see the medic grabbing the hands of a struggling trooper and pulling him from a pile of crushed debris. His legs didn’t appear to be working, and he’d probably been half-crushed beneath the leg of the tank, but he was still alive. One of the glowing insects swooped in and landed on the corpse of a second clone that had really been flattened, its jaws opening in an attempt to salvage some of the meat.

Rex and Fives rushed over. As Rex grabbed the other arm of the trooper Kix was carrying, Fives trained his pistols on the insect and opened fire, making sure it didn’t try to harass them as went.

“We gotta get these guys out of here,” Kix said.

The pair managed to pull the groaning man all the way back behind the tree, where a few other clones were crouched; huddled behind some rubble and waiting for their next move. The moment he and Rex had set their fellow trooper down, Kix turned and made to walk back out onto the battlefield to go back for others. While Rex admired his resolve, now wasn’t the time.

He grabbed Kix’s shoulder. “Forget it,” he said. “We have to leave them.”

Kix whipped around, shaking off Rex’s hand. “We can’t just leave them, sir!”

“You don’t have a choice,” Rex maintained. “That’s an order.” And he turned to walk away.

“You sound like General Krell.”

That stopped him dead in his tracks. Fives, Tup, and Dogma all looked up at him from nearby cover, waiting to see what he’d do. Rex gritted his teeth. While he’d love to go back and drag the injured away from danger, they had no choice but to keep fighting and wait. Those tanks were just too dangerous and they couldn’t do anything about them at the moment. Therefore, they couldn’t afford to risk a medic like Kix running around in the line of fire policing the dead and dying.

“Look, Kix,” Rex said, turning back to face him as he pulled out a pair of electrobinoculars, “it’s more important to save yourself right now. If we survive, you can patch up the wounded later.” He dropped to one knee and raised the telescopic device to his visor. In the distance, he could see the Umbaran airbase, its main spire extending high into the dark sky as it illuminated the space around it.

He could still feel Kix’s eyes on him. He knew the man was pissed, but that was fine. At least he wasn’t disobeying Rex’s orders.

“Ah. We’re finished,” Tup lamented, shaking his head sadly.

“We’ve still got some fight left in us, Tup,” Rex said, lowering the electrobinoculars. “And I’ve got an idea.”

“What were you thinking?” asked Fives from Rex’s right, sounding interested.

“Remember what you were saying about finding another way to destroy those tanks?”

“Yeah?”

“Well,” Rex said, glancing back at him, “I have a mission for you.”

* * *

“The second they spot us, I start blastin’!” Hardcase said, raising his DC-15 rifle and scanning the surrounding foliage.

Rex had dispatched him and Fives to leave the battlefront and circle around the enemy forces to the airbase. They’d been ordered to sneak inside, scavenge some enemy starfighters, and take the fight to the enemy. It was a plan Fives could get behind.

Still . . .

Fives was an ARC trooper. This was the type of mission he was trained for and carried out on an almost weekly basis. Hardcase, on the other hand, would not have been his first pick for a partner. Sure, he was loyal and an excellent soldier, but he was lacking in the ‘sneaky’ department to be sure.

Out of everyone, why couldn’t he have ended up with Denal – a top-notch slicer – or Zeer – their best combat engineer – or Joc – who was their best information-gatherer? Hell, even Mixer would’ve been fine. Yeah, he was boisterous, but he knew when to shut up and would certainly be helpful with blowing something up if they needed to.

But no. He got Hardcase.

“Hardcase, can’t ya take it easy for once?” Fives asked, sliding down a large root into a small ditch as they crossed the – so far – quiet terrain. “Stick to the plan instead of guns blazing?”

“I’m sorry, it’s just how I am,” Hardcase shrugged, catching up with him. “My commander on Kamino said my growth acceleration chamber had a leak. Made me hyperactive, I guess.”

_Great_.

“Shh!” Fives hissed. “There’s the airbase.”

Ahead, the trees and plant life came to a halt. Past it, Fives could see a tall, electrified barrier protecting what could only be the base they’d been sent to infiltrate. It was go-time from here on out.

The two clones sidled up to the edge of the tree line – only a couple of meters away from the fence – and stayed in cover. Fives dropped to one knee, surveying the situation. Going through the fence was a definite no, and they’d be spotted for sure if they tried to go through the front gate. What did that leave them with?

“Hm . . .” he muttered. “Some kind of sensor wall.”

Casting his gaze upward, Fives saw that a nearby tree had limbs that extended over the top of the wall. Maybe, if they used those, they could drop into the base undetected.

It’d have to do. They didn’t have much time, and a lot of lives were depending on their success here. Motioning to Hardcase, he led the other clone around to the tree in question and stopped at its base.

“Use the tree to get over the sensor wall,” he said, pointing up. He reached into Hardcase’s backpack and removed a few thermal detonators.

“Er . . . How am I supposed to do this exactly?” Hardcase asked, not sounding too convinced.

“Figure it out.”

As Fives placed the detonators to the base of the trunk, Hardcase took a step back and aimed his DC-15 up at the top of the tree. Pausing for a moment, he fired the weapon’s grappling line. Placing the rifle on the ground, he began climbing up the cable to the top of the tree.

_There’s a good lad._

Fives finished placing the explosives and hurried up after him. Hardcase had already walked out over the branch, which sagged under his weight and allowed him a short drop into the base, despite him muttering something about ‘preferring a straight fight to all this sneaking around.’ Fives took a moment to hoist up the rifle using its cable and resetting the line-launcher. There was no telling if it’d come in handy again, but it was the only rifle they’d brought with them. Better safe than sorry.

Holding the blaster at the ready, he walked precariously out onto the branch and began making his way across toward the airbase. Then, out of nowhere, one of the glowing flying insects brushed past his right shoulder. Hard. It almost knocked him off balance.

_Shit._

The damn thing chittered angrily and made another pass at him. Thinking fast, he brought up the rifle to fend off the creature’s jaws, but it had enough force behind it to knock the weapon back out of his hands. It flew over his head and plummeted into the interior of the airbase.

There went his only defense.

The creature bumped into him again, actually knocking him sideways off the branch. Reaching out, Fives grabbed onto the branch and held on tight. His legs swung out over open air and his stomach gave an unpleasant lurch as fear shot through him. He was an easy target.

Then, out of nowhere, a spike shot through the air and impaled the creature as it flew around, sending it flying and nailing it to the trunk of the tree. Looking down, Fives saw Hardcase detaching the grappling line from the DC-15. He used it to quietly take out the insect.

Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all.

Marginally loosening his grip, Fives slid down the remainder of the branch and landed on the ground inside the base, right next to Hardcase. As he let go, the branch straightened back up into the air.

“Wow,” Fives said, brushing himself off. “I never actually thought that would work.”

He led Hardcase deeper into the airbase. The layout of the place was mostly flat inside the sensor wall, aside from the main spire and a few not-as-tall buildings around it. A lot of the area was dedicated to vehicle and munitions storage. Fives saw several of the strange starfighters and four-legged tanks lined up in formation throughout the place. He also spied a few squads of Umbaran militiamen milling about, checking their weapons, talking, maintaining the vehicles, and doing whatever it was they did in their downtime.

It was time to change that.

Taking cover behind the legs of one of the tanks, Fives crouched down and raised his wristcomm. Instead of hitting the ‘call’ button, he pressed a key he’d linked to the detonators he’d placed on the tree they’d used to enter the base. The light flashed red and there was a momentary pause.

Then, he heard the explosion from clear across the compound.

Instantly, the Umbarans were on high alert. An alarm started blaring and Fives heard the shouts of soldiers rallying. He watched as a few squads ran toward the sight of the explosion, completely passing him and Hardcase by; unaware of their presence.

The moment most of the enemy was out of sight, the two clones broke cover and sprinted toward a section of the base that seemed to hold the most starfighters. They needed to get in and out quick; before their little ruse was uncovered.

Suddenly, an Umbaran appeared around the corner of a building they were passing, bringing everyone up short.

Hardcase struck out with one elbow, slamming his armored appendage into the Umbaran’s glowing faceplate and sending up stumbling. He wasn’t even able to let out a cry of surprise. Fives took the opportunity to kick the man in the stomach, pushing him off-balance and knocking the wind from his lungs. As he fell to the ground, Hardcase aimed his rifle and once more fired off the grappling line, sending the sharp spike right through Umbaran’s faceplate where it embedded itself in one of his eyes.

He was dead.

Fives and Hardcase rushed over to the nearest starfighter. It was a strange contraption, to say the least.

“So, how do I start this thing?” Hardcase asked.

Fives hadn’t the foggiest idea. They didn’t exactly have schematics of the Umbaran’s tech. That meant they’d have to experiment a bit.

“Well, how should I know?” Fives countered, stepping up onto an exposed seat at the front of the craft. “Start pushing buttons.”

As Hardcase darted off toward another fighter, Fives placed his hands on small rods next to his seat, and suddenly a glowing blue sphere surrounded him. His hands were also placed in a pair of spheres. Strange. He reached up and removed his helmet – it would only get in the way – and set it down next to him.

Hardcase did the same and, suddenly, his sphere lifted up into the air all by itself. Fives attempted to mimic his hand movements – that seemed to be the ‘controls’ – and he was then doing the same.

There were alarmed shouts from several meters away. Fives’ head jerked around to see a squad of Umbarans had noticed them and had formed up. As a unit, they raised their rifles and opened fire on the clones that were stealing their equipment. But, just like the Republic’s weapons, their blaster bolts couldn’t penetrate the glowing blue orbs that surrounded the pilots.

“Woah!” Hardcase said, his voice strangely distorted. “Glad these things are ray-shielded.”

Fives managed to lift his sphere up into a slot on the frame of the starfighter. Several displays suddenly appeared hovering around him; readouts that he couldn’t quite decipher. The only thing that mattered was that the ship took off. Which it did.

“Woah!” Fives gasped, as the ship lifted up into the air.

He moved his hands in response, but it only caused him to twirl around dangerously, skidding across the metal surface of the ground below. The next several seconds were absolute chaos. The two clones managed to lift themselves up into the air as small arms fire filled the space around them, bouncing harmlessly off of the carapace of their starfighters.

Despite still spinning around, Hardcase figured out the ship’s primary blaster cannon and started firing. He hit Umbarans, buildings, and even hit several of the pilotless starfighters around them, causing them to explode in a shower of durasteel and fire.

“Watch out!” Fives shouted, accessing his own ship’s cannon as Hardcase spun overhead.

They were laughing now. It was hard not to; the pair of them seemed to be untouchable even as they laid waste to the enemy’s supply depot. Explosions and excitement were a clone’s bread and butter.

Eventually, they managed to reign themselves in enough to turn their starfighters and start flying away from the mostly wrecked airbase; back toward Rex and the rest of the battalion.

“Let’s hope this trip was worth it,” Hardcase said.

“Alright, let’s go!” Fives said, still grinning as he piloted his ship over the darkened landscape. They actually had the upper hand now. It felt good.

The Republic forces weren’t that hard to locate. All they had to do was look for the huge column of smoke still rising into the sky, as well as the constant explosions and blaster fire emanating from the area. It was only a minute or two before Fives and Hardcase were circling overhead, surveying the scene below.

There were four tanks now, and they had the clones good and pinned down. It was less of a firefight than a massacre. Time to change that.

Fives opened his commlink to an open frequency. “Clear out, Captain!” he ordered. They didn’t have the hang of these ships – there was no telling what kind of damage they were about to do.

“The big guns have arrived, sir!” whooped Hardcase, of course.

Without his helmet, Fives wasn’t able to get access to friendly monitors that would tell him if the men below were getting out of the way or not, so he’d just have to trust that Rex and Drayk could see them. He was sure they could.

He and Hardcase opened fire.

The tanks pivoted in an attempt to counter them, but it was too late. Blaster rounds from the ships hit the tanks, cutting right through their ray-shields and blowing apart their hulls. A couple managed to stay alive long enough to mount a defense, but the clones’ flight patterns were too erratic and they were too unused to targeting their own vessels for it to make any real difference.

The tide had turned.

* * *

After their sudden victory in the gorge, taking the airbase had been a sinch in comparison, especially with the sheer amount of damage that Fives and Hardcase had been able to cause with their stolen fighters. Rex stood in a small group of men, assessing the newly-acquired base as clones secured the area, locked down vehicles, and transported several new Umbaran prisoners.

“Despite Hardcase’s flying,” Rex said, glancing over, “you two saved us all.”

“That wasn’t so tough,” Hardcase remarked, jovial as ever as he whipped off his helmet.

“You sure?” Jesse asked, removing his own bucket. “You looked a little green when you came out of that fighter.”

“Captain,” said an unforgettable voice. “Report. What is our situation?”

_So, Krell finally decided to show his face._

Rex turned to see the General marching toward him, flanked by Appo and Arno.

“General,” Rex said, “we’ve taken the base and cut off enemy supply lines to the capital.”

Krell stroked his chin. “Luck has smiled on you today, Captain,” he mused. “Consider yourself . . . fortunate.”

Rex stepped closer to him. “It wasn’t all luck, sir,” he said, looking the Besalisk directly in the eyes. “A lot of men died to take this base.”

Krell spread his upper arms. “The price for such victory,” he said simply. “Perhaps someday you’ll realize this.”

Rex’s face didn’t move a muscle. But the hand that held his helmet to his waist tightened into a clenched fist. Men were dead. Several platoons worth. And all Krell said was ‘the price for such victory.’ General Skywalker would never brush off so many deaths. Neither would Ahsoka.

The Jedi turned and walked away. “Dismissed.”

Rex’s jaw tightened as he held in the words he desperately wanted to shout at him.

“ _He’s_ the one who’ll never realize,” said a voice in his ear. Rex turned to see Fives standing behind him.

Rex didn’t say anything. But he nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Paint It Black - The Rolling Stones  
> (Been watching the main campaign of COD: Cold War so I'm really feelin' the Vietnam vibes)
> 
> Back to your regularly scheduled chaos
> 
> I'm sure everyone enjoyed the last episode of the Mandalorian. Next chapter, we'll check in with Ahsoka and see how the space battle is going. Spoiler altert: not great.


	34. How

**Republic-held Airbase, Umbara**

Rex walked into the command room atop the airbase’s main spire alongside General Krell. In a matter of hours, the clones had completely secured the base and were busy reconfiguring everything to suit their needs. Ordinance was being collected, the vehicles were being repurposed, and all the security and tech was being sorted through and rewired. All in all, things were going rather well at the moment.

General Kenobi had apparently heard of their success and had a message for them.

“Where is he?” Krell demanded as the pair stepped into the circular command center.

A few nearby men input codes into holopads, and the circular projector in the floor of the center of the room activated. Slowly, thousands of tiny holographic cubes pulled together, forming a blocky image of Kenobi.

“General Kenobi, do you read me?” asked Krell.

“Congratulations on your capture of the Umbaran airbase, General,” Kenobi said after he was fully-formed. His voice was slightly distorted, as though he were talking through a vocoder. “It’s refreshing to have good news.”

“There will be time for celebration when we’ve taken that capital,” Krell said, unsmiling.

_Especially since it was us clones that_ really _took the base._

But that was neither here nor there. It was fairly commonplace for Jedi to get the credit for the deeds of clones. That was just how things were. At the moment, however, it was bugging Rex more than it usually did.

“Yes,” Kenobi said, stroking his beard, “well, I’m afraid that’s going to be more difficult than anticipated. Their attacks have increased, and their long-range missiles are forcing us to retreat from our positions.”

“I was hoping we cut off their arms shipments and supplies when we took this airbase,” Krell lamented, shaking his head.

“It seems they’re receiving new arms shipments directly from a supply ship orbiting the –”

Kenobi’s image flickered suddenly, and all the audio cut out.

“General Kenobi?” asked Krell, taking a step forward.

“– having difficulty transmitting,” Kenobi said, cutting in again. “They must be jamming our signals.”

“Can’t we destroy the supply ship?” Rex asked, stepping forward.

“We’re trying,” Kenobi said, glancing over at him, “but with little success. Their fleet outnumbers ours, and the extra ships we were promised have not yet arrived.”

“We’ll just have to take that capital regardless of the missiles,” General Krell asserted. It might’ve been Rex’s imagination, but Kenobi seemed to grimace. “My battalion will meet you at the rendezvous coordinates.”

“We cannot expect –”

And then the image of Kenobi exploded into tiny holographic cubes once more. Permanently. He did not reappear.

“I’m trying to get him back, sir,” said Joc frantically working at the controls nearby.

“Don’t bother,” Krell said. “The enemy is jamming our transmissions. We’re on our own.” With that, he turned and stalked out of the command center.

Rex followed him, knowing that the briefing was over and that they’d get no more out of Kenobi. At least for now. If the enemy was jamming their transmissions, that would explain why Ahsoka hadn’t commed to check in. Especially since the space battled sounded as though it was particularly heated.

As he stepped into the lift alongside Krell, Rex’s mind wandered to Ahsoka for the first time in a good many hours. He hadn’t thought about her much since they’d hit the dirt on Umbara, and that made him feel strangely . . . guilty. It was an irrational thought, surely; probably brought on by their Bond or something like that. He knew they both had duties to be attending to – Rex had an extremely important part in the ground assault as well as a new general to deal with and she had command over the space battle. It was a small comfort that he could _just_ feel her presence up there; a small twinkle of light that told him she was still alive. There just wasn’t time to dwell on it.

_I wonder if she’s thinking about me, too._

_I hope she’s alright. Things never go well for us when we’re apart . . ._

He squashed the thought as soon as it crossed his mind.

_Focus, Rex. Here and now. It’s not the time for that._

_Is it ever?_

The lift doors slid open and he and Krell stepped onto the main floor. Crossing the bottom floor, they exited the building and the General immediately began barking orders at the nearest clones.

“Have those containers searched and all weapons prepped and loaded,” he said to Dandy and Checkers, who were busy going through a batch of confiscated weapons containers nearby.

Dandy shook his head, annoyed, but didn’t say anything.

Krell glanced down at Rex. “Have the battalion ready to move out in twelve hours,” he ordered. “We’re advancing on the capital.”

“Sir,” Rex said, “should I try to get a message to General Kenobi? Shouldn’t we coordinate our attack? Especially in light of the recent threat?”

“General Kenobi has his hands full,” Krell countered, still walking, “same as us. We need to throw everything we have at them. Now!”

“We’d be marching into a blast zone, sir,” Rex maintained.

Krell was about to reply, but their conversation was cut short as something on the far side of the base exploded. Rex whipped around to see a trail of smoke rising into the air just beyond the edge of the compound.

“Blasted insurgents,” Krell cursed. Rex turned back to him. “I realize you haven’t agreed with all of my strategies, Captain. But you are smart enough and loyal enough to obey my orders. Now prep those troops!”

He turned and marched off, not giving Rex a chance to reply.

Rex couldn’t even muster up the energy to be angry. At every turn, Krell was ignoring Rex’s input. General Skywalker and Ahsoka would never do something like that, especially when the lives of so many of the men were on the line. This assault would be sloppy and costly; there was no doubt about that. And there apparently wasn’t anything Rex could do to stop it. Krell was right about one thing – Rex could just disobey his direct orders, even if he didn’t agree with them.

Bending the rules with Skywalker was one thing, especially since the General often did it himself and took most of the risks. But outright ignoring orders from another Jedi? He couldn’t do it.

So, Rex turned and walked off toward the hangar bay, where most of the men were gathered. He’d have to talk things over with the troops; let them know what they were going up against.

Things went about as well as he expected.

“Those missiles have a hundred megaton yield,” Fives said, leaning against one of the starfighters and looking as though he couldn’t believe the words coming out of Rex’s mouth. “We won’t even make it to the delta!”

“What can I do?” Rex asked, shrugging helplessly. “I’ve tried to reason with him. Those are the orders.”

“Great,” muttered Jesse, tapping away at a nearby console as he completed a contraband catalog, “another suicide mission. The capital is too well-armed.”

“Why does it seem like he has it out for clones?” Tup wondered. The young clone was crouched on one of the curved wings of a starfighter, fiddling with the internal wiring using a hydro spanner.

“I think you’re all overacting,” interjected Dogma, who was sitting nearby, cleaning his weapon. “Obviously General Krell knows what he’s doing.” He directed his next question at Jesse. “Do you really think he doesn’t care if he loses men?”

Jesse stepped back and folded his arms. “I’m not saying that,” he said. “But I do think his desire for victory has blinded him to the fact that there are lives at stake. I’ve never seen a general with these kinds of casualties.”

“He’s out of control,” Fives blurted. “He is _not_ acting like the other Jedi. He has no respect for us –”

“Listen,” Rex cut in, not allowing this discussion to wander too far into mutinous waters, “I don’t agree with him either, but I don’t have a better plan.”

Fives gestured around them. “Well what about using these starfighters to destroy the supply ship?” he said, sidling over to Jesse.

“Our fleet has been trying,” Rex reminded him. “The Umbarans have it as protected as the capital.”

“But we’ve got their access codes _and_ their own hardware,” Fives said.

_We do?_

“You were able to crack it?”

“Mm-hm,” Fives grinned, punching Jesse on the shoulder. “We can sneak right past their blockade. Get where our ships can’t.”

Rex stroked his chin thoughtfully. Maybe . . . Maybe that would work. Provided a _lot_ of things went just right. It was risky, but it’d be a gamble worth taking if it meant they could save the lives of countless clones. He could at least bring it up to the General.

“If we take out that supply ship,” Fives said, “then we cut off arms to the capital.”

* * *

The commlink in the Delta-7 interceptor buzzed.

“Commander Tano, what’s your status?” demanded Bly.

Ahsoka gritted her teeth together as she jerked the steering yoke of her ship this way and that, avoiding volleys of blaster fire from the pack of vultures and tri-fighters that pursued her and the rest of Blue Squadron. All around her were the sights and muffled sounds of aerial combat. Vulture droids, tri-fighters, Umbaran Zenuas 33s, Y-wings, Z-95 Headhunters, and ARC-170s zipped all about, and red and blue laser fire crisscrossed the darkened sky.

“Headed – back,” Ahsoka said, focusing as best she could, avoiding both laser rounds and colliding with other fighters or the huge Separatist frigate to her right. “Under – heavy fire! Doing our best.”

“You’ve got two squadrons of Vultures on your tail,” Bly said. “Acknowledge?”

“Two?” Ahsoka demanded. Two? She thought it had only been one. “Blue Squadron, check-in!”

“Commander Swoop still here, ma’am.”

“Kickback; still kickin’.”

“Soundwave online.”

“Springer here.”

“Blitzwing checkin’ in.”

“This is Silverbolt.”

“Evac; still alive.”

“Divebomb; still on your tail, ma’am.”

“Jetfire here.”

“Inferno.”

Everyone was still alive.

“Stay tight, boys,” Ahsoka reminded them. “We just – need to get back to the cruiser!”

“Don’t worry about us, Commander,” Blitzwing assured her. “We know the drill.”

But she did worry. They were in the thick of the assault with two squadrons of droids chasing them down. What wasn’t there to worry about?

“Do you need reinforcements, Commander?” Bly asked. “I can try to divert some support to your sector. Afraid I can’t make any promises.”

‘No’ was the answer Ahsoka wanted to give. She wanted to say that everything was under control. That she didn’t need anything. But she wasn’t too proud to accept help from others these days; she’d learned her lesson a long time ago.

“Yes,” Ahsoka said. “We’ll – take whatever you can send our way.”

A laser round clipped the side of her Delta fighter and R7-A7 bleeped agitatedly, his domed head twirling around to look at Ahsoka in the cockpit.

“I know, I know!” she said, swerving left. “I’m working on it!”

The little droid let out a low whine and went back to keeping a sensor on the interceptor’s subsystems.

_One thing at a time._

Ahsoka’s eyes darted around, taking in the situation. Blue Squadron had ventured deep into enemy-held sector in an attempt to cut a path to the DH-Omni Support Vessel that was supplying the Umbaran Militia with the weapons it needed to hold the capital. Their assault had not worked and they had been forced to retreat before things got too heated. The droids and the Umbaran ships were just too thick around the supply ship. Not to mention the fact that a dreadnaught and several frigates were focused on locking the space around it down with a grip so tight that not even a Hutt would be able to slip through.

Now, she and the ten Z-95s were zipping through enemy-controlled space, back toward the waiting Republic ships.

“Bly, support?” Ahsoka asked, opening up with her interceptor’s cannons to tear through a pack of tri-fighters that had attempted to take her head-on.

“Working on it,” the commander reported, sounding harried. “We’re at overstretch.”

_Damn it, I_ know _!_

Didn’t make things any easier.

“Agh, I’ve got some right on my tail – can’t shake ‘em!” reported Inferno, sounding worried.

Ahsoka leaned forward slightly and looked out of her bubble-shaped cockpit, scanning the formation for Inferno. She spotted him just above and behind her, maneuvering to avoid a pair of tri-fighters that had locked onto him.

“Can’t help ya,” Evac said. “There’s too many of ‘em!”

“Just stay in formation, boys,” Ahsoka said. “Up your thruster intake.”

“I’m on it, Inferno,” Divebomb radioed. “I’ll take care of those clankers for you.” Off to Ahsoka’s right, one of the Headhunters flipped around and made straight for Inferno.

“Divebomb, wait!”

But he wasn’t listening. Ahsoka let R7 take over flight controls as she strained to watch what was going on behind her. Divebomb soared toward Inferno and his tri-fighter escort. The twin blaster cannons on either wing of his starfighter started blazing. Within seconds, both droid fighters exploded in a pair of fireballs.

Inferno breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Divebomb.”

“No problem.”

“Good job, Divebomb,” Swoop said. “Now get back in formation.”

“You got it,” the pilot said, twisting his fighter in a wide loop in order to turn himself around. “I’m – argh!”

It happened in a heartbeat.

A squadron of twelve Umbaran starfighters appeared from beneath a nearby Separatist frigate and engaged Blue Squadron. Their very first laser barrage ripped through Divebomb’s ship, destroying it before he could rejoin the rest of the squadron.

“Contact, contact!” Soundwave shouted.

“Divebomb!” Springer cried.

“Everyone, break off!” Ahsoka ordered. “Evasive action!”

The formation instantly broke off. The Z-95s shot off in several different directions as the Zenuases drew closer, opening fire once more with their blasters. They’d have to deal with this now or they’d be picked off one by one before they reached the safety of their hangar bay.

Ahsoka jerked the steering yoke backward, executing a quick loop to bring her ship around to face the fighters that had just arrived. She sighted up and opened fire with her interceptor’s blasters, but the Umbaran fighters just twirled gracefully about and dodged, choosing to focus on the ARCs rather than her.

_Damn, those things are responsive._

And that’s what made them all the more dangerous.

“Rally up, Blue Squadron!” Ahsoka said. “We’ve gotta take these guys out or they’ll just tail us back to the ship.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Swoop said. “You heard her boys, let’s waste these guys!”

The dogfight ensued. Ahsoka swerved this way and that to avoid laser barrages that would’ve taken her out. Periodically, she fired back, sometimes scoring glancing blows against the Umbarans but never enough to outright destroy a fighter. Shooting down organic pilots was a lot different than fighting droids; she hadn’t quite adjusted yet.

Her squadron was in some state of disarray due to the sudden forced combat. The sounds of her pilots’ voices filled her commlink.

“Watch your left, Silverbolt.”

“I’ve got one on my tail!”

“Keep it tight, boys; we’ve got this.”

“My stabilizer’s having some issues.”

“Got a bit of a problem!” Springer warned. “I can’t – ah!”

And he was gone. A brilliant explosion from just above her caught Ahsoka’s attention. Pieces of a destroyed Z-95 fell around her, some even clattering against her own ship. She pulled back on the yoke and jetted upward, her sights set on the singular Zenaus that was speeding away from the disappating cloud of smoke and fire.

Snarling with momentary rage, Ahsoka kicked up the thrusters in order to stay on the fighter’s tail and opened up with the main cannon, putting so much laser fire into the ship that it was completely obliterated.

_One down. eleven to go._

But she’d already lost two pilots. Who’s to say how many more would be gone before they managed to shake off their pursuers?

“Need some help, ma’am?”

The voice startled Ahsoka. It wasn’t one she recognized from Blue Squadron, it was –

“Fireball?”

“You bet.”

She scanned the air around her and saw two ARC-170s with gold-painted highlights swoop in from below, opening up with their laser cannons and taking out two more Umbarans, caught off-guard by the sudden reinforcements.

“Where’s the rest of Gold Squadron?” Ahsoka asked, banking left to avoid crashing into a tri-fighter that was veering off course after taking a hit from a Y-wing.

“I sent them back for refueling,” Fireball answered. “We were all on our way back to the ship when Bly commed. I’m afraid Can and I are the only help you’re getting, and we’re not gonna last much longer.”

_What? Then –_

“What are you saying, Captain Fireball?” Ahsoka demanded.

“I’m saying get yourselves the hell out of here, Commander,” the pilot clarified. “We’ll hold them off for you.”

“What?” cried Swoop. “We didn’t ask for a sacrifice, we asked for backup!”

“We’re both,” Can answered. “Listen to the Captain.”

Ahsoka took a second to execute a quick barrel roll in order to avoid an Umbaran energy sphere that shot right past her, scorching the metal on her port side.

“Fireball, don’t do this.”

“With respect, ma’am, it’s already done,” Fireball said, his voice determined. “Just get yourself and the others back to safety and figure out a way to break this blockade!”

Ahsoka said nothing.

“Commander?” prompted Blitzwing. “What’re your orders?”

“Disengage, Blue Squadron,” Ahsoka ordered, hating the words that were coming out of her mouth. “Keep heading back.” She changed her own direction, swerving away from the dogfight and heading back toward Republic-controlled space, her tail between her legs.

One-by-one, each of the remaining members of Blue Squadron turned and followed her, kicking their thrusters on full-force.

Ahsoka closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Fireball?”

“Yes, Commander Tano?”

“I won’t forget this.”

“Thank you, ma’am. Good luck.”

“May the Force be with you,” Ahsoka said.

The link went dead.

* * *

Rex exited the elevator and stepped into the command center. General Krell was observing a holographic display of what seemed to be the capital they were supposed to be assaulting, his lower set of arms clasped behind his back while his upper set stroked his chin. Rex made his way towards him and stood on the opposite side of the hologram from him.

“Sir,” Rex said, “with all due respect, might I suggest another option to help us secure the capital.”

“What would that be, Captain?” asked Krell.

_Well, at least he’s not shooting me down right away._

Hopefully a good sign.

“My men have cracked the Umbaran codes,” Rex reported. “With the starfighters, we could sneak past the supply ship’s defenses. We take it out and cut off the arms to the capital.”

Krell frowned. “And who do you propose would fly these starfighters?” he asked. “Are your troops now pilots?”

“My men may not be pilots, sir,” Rex said, glancing away, “but they are able to learn and adapt quickly. A few of them have already demonstrated that.”

“I’m afraid I can’t afford to waste any clones on frivolous adventures,” Krell said, shaking his head. “We’re going to need everyone to take the capital.”

_Waste any clones._

_Like we’re hardware. Not people._

Rex gritted his teeth together.

“Sir, incoming!” said Joc, tapping away at a nearby console. “Sector Delta – long-range missiles!”

The hologram in front of Krell immediately shifted, forming into a map of the airbase. In the sky, Rex saw three red blips moving quickly toward the base. Glancing out the window behind Krell – that took up practically the entire wall – Rex watched as the trio of explosives overshot the main base and hit the forest not far away. Even from such a distance and within a building, he could hear the explosion. He saw the huge ball of green-tinged fire as well, along with the smoke that rose into the dark sky.

They’d missed.

_This_ time.

Rex sighed and took his leave, turning and marching out of the command center without another word. Krell hadn’t gone for their plan. He really should’ve expected that; this wasn’t a general known for taking on the suggestions of the soldiers under his command. Nothing like Skywalker. And that was the flaw that was going to get them all killed sooner or later.

Risk or not, this strategy would surely result in fewer casualties. But no. Orders were orders.

That’s what he kept telling himself as he descended the lift and crossed over to the temporary barracks that had been set up in one of the nearby buildings. He entered, helmet tucked under one arm, and saw a squad of many – including everyone that had discussed the new plan – was lounging around taking their downtime.

“The assault on the capital . . . will continue as planned,” Rex said, his voice heavy. This wasn’t right and he knew it. But there wasn’t anything he could do about it.

“So that’s it?” Jesse asked, stepping forward. “We just march into those missiles?”

Fives was pacing with his arms folded. “There’s another option,” he said. “We go ahead with _our_ plan and suffer the consequences.”

Rex took a seat on a nearby table, resting his helmet on his thigh. “You would be court marshaled,” he said, shaking his head. He sighed. “If it were up to me, and we had the time and the training, I would say do it. But it’s out of my hands. And the truth is: you are no pilots.”

“Come on!” Jesse objected. “If Hardcase can fly one of these things, we all can.”

“Yeah, he wasn’t really flying,” said Tup, who sat atop the higher bed on one of the bunks that lined the room. “More like avoiding crashing. We’ll be blasted out of the sky before we get anywhere.”

“Not if we’re in _their fighters_ ,” Fives reminded him. “No one’s gonna be shooting at us.”

Suddenly, the door slid open again and Dogma walked in, holding his helmet under one arm.

Jesse cleared his throat and looked away. “Here comes Dogma,” he said in an undertone.

“Er, what’s going on here?” the young clone asked, nearing the group and looking around at everyone.

As much as Rex didn’t like keeping secrets from his brothers, Jesse had a point. Discussing an illicit plan around Dogma was a smart way to get ratted out. The kid was wound a little too tightly for Rex’s liking. He meant well, but he was loyal to a fault. Which – Rex was starting to realize – wasn’t always a good thing.

“Eh, nothing,” Tup said, shrugging in the most conspicuous manner.

Dogma narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

Rex got up and made to leave. The conversation was over. There was nothing more to do but prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

But, of course, Fives wasn’t going to back down so easily. He caught up to Rex just as he exited the room. The doors slid shut, cutting them off from the others.

“This is about more than just following orders,” he said.

Rex stopped. “It is,” he agreed, turning to face his brother. “It is about honor.”

“Where is the honor in marching blindly to our deaths?” Fives demanded.

“It is not our call,” Rex maintained, his voice firm. “We are part of something larger. We are not independent of one another.”

“I’m sorry,” Fives spat, shaking his head. “I cannot just follow orders when I know they’re wrong! Especially when lives are at stake.”

Rex felt for him. He really did.

Being an ARC trooper was a different bolo-ball game. He had freedom. A lot more freedom than the average trooper. But right now, that was quickly becoming a problem. There needed to be structure. They couldn’t afford to not follow orders like this. Rex had to put his foot down.

“You _will_ if you support the system we fight for,” he said, taking a step closer, reaching out and prodding Fives on the chestplate.

He batted Rex’s arm away. “I do support it,” he said. “I do! But I am _not_ just another number! None of us are.” And he turned to walk away.

“Fives, where are you going?” Rex said.

He stopped. “To round up some pilots.” And he walked back into the barracks without another word. Or even glancing back.

The door slid shut, cutting the two of them off.

“Problems?”

Rex turned to see Drayk walking over, reaching up to remove his helmet.

Rex sighed again. “Something like that,” he muttered.

“I take it that starfighter plan got shot down?” Drayk asked, placing a hand on Rex’s shoulder. “No pun intended.”

“Unsurprisingly,” Rex nodded. “But Fives wants to go ahead with it anyway.”

“Can you blame him?”

“Of course I can’t!” Rex said, stepping away and raising his arms in frustration. “But that’s not the point. Our general has a plan. He’s given us the orders and he expects them to be carried out. We can’t just ignore that and implement our own strategy. Even if . . .” He lowered his voice slightly. “. . . even if our plan is objectively better and safer.”

“Are you gonna stop him?” Drayk asked.

Rex ran a hand over his eyes. “No,” he admitted. “He knows what he’s doing. Or he thinks he does, anyway. If he thinks he and some others can pull this off, then that’s their business. But if I’m ordered to prevent them from doing it, I’ll have no choice.”

“Yes you will,” Drayk said, raising an eyebrow. “You always have a choice.”

“You and I are both captains, Drayk,” Rex said. “We’re in command. But we’re still clones, which means we’re part of a structure. What the general says goes. End of story. I’ll tell you what I told Commander Tano when she joined up: we follow orders. They keep us alive. If we don’t we all run around like nuna.”

“Don’t try and ‘picturize’ me, Rex,” Drayk said, smirking. “I know the spiel.”

“Just making sure.”

“Speaking of the Commander, have you tried comming her?” Drayk suggested. “She might be able to get through to you, seeing as Fives and I can’t.”

“Very funny,” Rex said, rolling his eyes. “But there’s no point. Kriffing Umbarans are jamming our communications. We’re on our own for now.”

Which meant the decision of what to do ultimately fell upon Rex’s shoulders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How - The Neighbourhood
> 
> One step forward, two steps back. Hard times for both Rex and Ahsoka


	35. My Mistakes Were Made for You

**Hangar, Republic-held Airbase, Umbara**

Fives had managed to drum up a good bit of support, but he was unsure of who was actually going to end up being his pilots.

The whole group of them were in the main hangar at the moment, the main door shut in order to block any view of what they were up to. Hardcase – who had volunteered for testing – sat in the bubble cockpit of one of their captured fighters, waiting for a ‘go.’ Kix was attaching missile pods to the sides of the starfighter’s wings. Fives and Mixer were monitoring the main consoles. A few other clones milled about, checking equipment, making sure the coast was clear and doing maintenance on some of the other ships they were readying.

“Alright,” Fives said, uploading a new bit of code and eyeing a nearby readout. “Okay, there. Try that out. It should be a little easier.”

Their main issue so far had been the response time of the fighters. Clones weren’t used to controlling vehicles using only their hands and not a usual array of buttons, switches, and joysticks. So, Fives and Denal had dulled the response time of the ships somewhat so that movements wouldn’t be quite as jerky as they had been so far.

Hardcase fired up the ship’s engines and began to float up into the air. He was calm – so far – but still looked a bit nervous. Which was only natural.

“I got it,” he said, grinning to himself after a moment or two of only slightly wavering in his hovering.

_So far so good._

And then the ship started to swing wildly back and forth.

One of the wings crashed into a stack of crates, sending them flying and causing Kix to have to dive out of the way to avoid being pulverized. Fives himself ducked and covered his head as the fighter dropped low to the ground and skirted just past him, knocking over one of the control panels in the process.

“Hardcase, what’re you doing?” Fives shouted, straightening as the ship moved away.

“If I knew, I wouldn’t be doin’ it!” Hardcase replied, moving his arms frantically as he tried to get the floating craft under control.

“Look out!” called Checkers, pulling Dandy out of the way as Hardcase crashed through a set of shelves and another stack of crates, sending deadly projectiles flying in all directions.

Fives ducked as Hardcase came around again, the lower wing of the ship narrowly missing the top of his head. He bent over the console before him and sighed. “Great,” he muttered. “This can’t get much worse.”

But he was wrong.

At that moment, he became aware of a low, incessant beeping coming from behind him. Fives turned to see Mixer tapping frantically at a nearby console. The other clone looked over at him, and Fives didn’t need to see under the helmet to tell he was stressed.

“Er, I think we triggered some kind of alarm,” he said.

Fives jogged over. “Can you fix it?”

“I’m _trying_ ,” Mixer told him. “It’s not shutting off.”

Fives ran a hand down his face. “Well,” he said. “Let’s just hope nobody notices.”

Then, a very distinctive non-clone voice came through the console. “Trooper,” said General Krell. “What’s going on down there?”

_Stang._

Fives pushed Mixer out of the way. “Hey, hey. I-I got this.” He’d have to give his best shot.

“Trooper! Report, trooper!”

In the background, Fives saw Hardcase continue to careen around the hangar, bumping into other Umbaran starfighters that had been stored on hangers lining the ceiling. Several fell to the ground as they were hit, causing a conspicuous amount of noise.

“Er, yes sir, everything’s fine in the hangar, sir,” Fives said. “Nothing’s out of control down here.”

“Then why have the alarms been triggered?” demanded Krell, clearly not buying his bold-faced lie.

Fives ducked as Hardcase shot past once more.

“Agh,” he muttered. “Er, it’s just a drill – a safety drill, sir.”

“Safety check occurs at oh-six-hundred. Who authorized this drill?”

Shit. He had him there.

_Think, Fives!_

“Oh, we . . . are decrypting the alien hardware, sir,” he said, pulling out the first excuse that came to mind. To his credit, it seemed plausible enough. “Standard operating procedure.”

That was when the ship’s front cannon went off, sending everyone into cover. Fives ducked behind his console and caught a glimpse of Jesse diving behind some boxes, tossing a datapad aside in his haste to not get blasted.

“Who is this?” demanded Krell. “What’s your CT number? Trooper, identify yourself!”

Well, he couldn’t do that, now could he?

Glancing up, he saw that Hardcase had managed to bring the fighter level. Fives would’ve breathed a sigh of relief had he not seen the ball of energy building up in one of the missile launchers attached to the wings. Before he even had time to mutter a ‘stang,’ the sphere exploded out from the launcher and careened through the air toward the edge of the hangar. It hit the front door and detonated, tossing up rubble and smoke in its wake as the entire main hangar door melted away in an intense, blue-green explosion.

The comm from the console cut out.

“Shit!” shouted Mixer, picking himself up off the ground. “I think Krell definitely heard that. Everyone alright?”

“I’m fine,” said Fives, waving him off.

“All good over here,” called Denal as he and Gunner helped Kix to his feet.

“Checkers and I are good,” reported Dandy as they stepped out from behind a stack of crates.

“Fine. For now,” said Jesse, dusting himself off.

“Got it!” Hardcase called. “I-I got it. It’s easy. Just level your hands . . .” He broke off, slowly releasing control over the floating ship and setting back down on the hangar floor.

Fives marched forward. “Are you crazy?” he tried to keep himself from shouting. “You could’ve gotten us _killed_. Not to mention ruining our hopes of flying this mission.”

The bubble cockpit set down just in front of the craft and Hardcase deactivated it, standing to meet Fives as he approached.

“It’s a malfunction,” Hardcase dismissed, gesturing to the ship. “No harm done.”

“Explain this,” said a menacing voice. “Now.”

To his horror, Fives saw General Krell stalking toward them with Rex and Drayk trailing not far behind, looking furious. Behind them, he could see the still-smoldering remains of the hangar door that was being tended to by Appo and Pulsar’s squads.

They were in deep shit.

Fives opened his mouth. “Er –”

“Sir,” Hardcase intervened, standing at attention, “we were decrypting the enemy craft when what appears to be an enemy booby trap went off.” He switched to parade rest.

“A booby trap?” Krell asked, as though he couldn’t believe it.

“Yes, sir,” Hardcase affirmed. “The fighter went haywire, and had I not been able to get control of it and aimed the missile at the doors, something worse . . . might’ve happened.”

“Is this true?” Krell asked, turning his attention to Fives.

He really had no choice but to go along with it. “Er, y-yes sir,” he nodded. “That is what happened. No doubt.”

Drayk smirked and Rex narrowed his eyes, but Krell seemed to buy it. Or, at least, he decided not to press the issue further.

“Well, Captain Rex,” he said, rounding on the man, “looks like I was correct. The Umbaran fighters are dangerous. And not fit for flight.”

Fives grimaced. He really should’ve expected this.

“Bu-But sir!” Hardcase interjected. “We now know how they work! We just need practice.” He jammed one fist into an open palm for emphasis, but Krell wasn’t having any of it.

He turned away, shaking his head dismissively as he waved one arm to gesture to the chaos around him. “Lock down these fighters,” he ordered, glancing back. “I don’t want anything else exploding.”

Rex shot Hardcase a stern look, but the clone just shrugged apologetically. Rolling his eyes, the Captain turned and marched off after the General. Drayk lingered for a moment, giving Fives a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, before turning to join the others.

“Nice work,” Fives spat, punching Hardcase on the arm. “Now we know how to fly them, and we won’t be able to get near them.”

“Oh, come on,” Hardcase said as he sat down on a nearby crate, “that won’t stop us. It’s just procedure. We can sneak in and be out before Krell knows anything.”

Slow clapping from off to one side drew their attention. Fives glanced around to see Jesse approaching them, grinning sardonically.

“I thought the plan was to destroy the _enemy ship_ with the fighters,” he said, patting Hardcase on the back, “not blow up our own hangar.”

“Look,” Fives said, “I agree we should go through with this. So are you two volunteering to be my pilots or what?” Now that Krell had specifically locked down the fighters, finding willing pilots would be a much harder task. If they didn’t say yes, Fives wasn’t sure what he was going to do.

But he needn’t have worried.

“I’m in,” Hardcase said. “Regardless of the consequences.”

Jesse folded his arms. “Flying these fighters beats blindly walking into a bunch of missiles, so . . . I’m in. We just need a plan.”

“Already got one,” Fives supplied. He knelt down and grabbed a fallen control panel from off the ground. “General Skywalker blew up a droid control ship when he was just a kid, and he told me the trick was hitting their main reactor from the inside.”

In reality, Skywalker had only been about three years younger than Fives himself when he did it, so there wouldn’t be much difference. He’d heard the tale one time when discussing ‘most impressive battlefield feats.’ He figured Skywalker was going to take the cake with that one, but Cody ended up winning after recounting the time he and Trapper had tackled General Grievous while engaging him in hand-to-hand combat and living to tell about it.

“Oh, well, that won’t be so tough,” Hardcase said, grinning.

Fives hoped he was right.

* * *

Rex lagged behind Coric and Del’s squads, letting them take the lead as they strayed further from the base. Drayk was holding down the fort with Krell while he supervised the patrols scanning the surrounding forest for enemy activity. They had taken a high-value target; they couldn’t be too careful. Especially where the Umbarans were concerned.

“I want a full perimeter sweep,” Rex said. “Be on high alert.” Chances of an ambush or an attempt to take back the airbase were high, so they had to counter that as best they could.

Suddenly, Rex felt three presences that hadn’t been there a moment ago.

He was getting better at placing the imprint his brothers left in the Force. It was a strange feeling. Like he already knew them but was just now getting to _know_ them; feeling and recognizing that each of them was truly unique and carried their own Force signature with them everywhere they went.

He turned to see Fives, Hardcase, and Jesse marching towards him. He stopped so that they could catch up, allowing the patrol to outpace him.

“Fives,” he said, “what are you doing out here? You should be in the barracks.”

“I found my pilots,” Fives said, nodding back at Jesse and Hardcase as they drew even with him. “We’re going after that supply ship.”

Rex reached up and removed his helmet. He never thought he’d meet someone who he’d consider more stubborn than himself, but Fives was giving him a run for his credits.

“Are you out of your mind?” Rex asked, placing a hand on Fives’ shoulder. “It’s a suicide mission. Not to mention against orders.”

Fives stepped back, out of Rex’s grasp, and stood his ground. “It’s the right thing to do,” he said, his voice firm.

“We have to try,” Jesse said.

Rex closed his eyes. “It . . . sounds like you intend to go through with it.” And there was nothing he could say to change their minds.

“If you’re going to try and stop us,” Fives said, “we need to know.”

Rex bit the inside of his cheek. Should he? Probably. But was he really going to?

_Are you gonna stop him?_

_No. He knows what he’s doing. Or he thinks he does, anyway._

Rex sighed. He wouldn’t stop them. But he wouldn’t be able to help them, either. “I can’t help you when you get caught,” he said.

And they _would_ get caught eventually, there was no doubt about that.

Fives nodded. “I understand, sir.”

And with that, the three of them turned and walked away, leaving Rex alone to catch up with the squads and finish the patrol. All the while knowing that three of his men were disobeying direct orders from a Jedi General.

* * *

Checking to make sure the coast was clear, Jesse, Fives, and Hardcase sprinted across an open courtyard towards where the majority of the Umbaran ships were locked down.

No one was around to stop them.

As a unit, the three clones hopped into the chairs in front of the fighters and booted them up, causing holographic displays to light up around them and bright bubbles to form. Each clone quickly lifted their hands and guided their seats into the niches where they fit into the ships, powering them up.

Jesse, the only one of the trio who hadn’t yet flown one of the fighters, had to adapt quickly to the unorthodox piloting style. Hardcase and Fives had both told him what to do, but there was certainly a difference between knowing how to do something and actually putting it into practice. All the same, he managed to copy the movements of the other two and get himself up off the ground.

Then, it was really just a matter of pointing himself up toward the sky and pushing the thrusters.

He grunted. “These things are trickier than I imagined,” he said. “I hope this was a good idea.” He looked over toward Fives, who was flying point.

“Well, it’s better than Krell’s plan!” he said, sounding a little defensive.

“You know, I’m only doing this because I don’t like him,” Jesse said.

This plan was a longshot; no doubt about that. But Krell had outlined a march to death, not an actual battle strategy. So Jesse was willing to break the rules if it meant he had a chance – however slim – of actually surviving to see another day. He rather liked living.

“There’s reason enough,” Fives said.

“Ha! I’m just doin’ it for fun!” Hardcase chimed in.

_Of course._

And suddenly, they burst through the uppermost layer of clouds.

“Woah!” Fives shouted. “What the –”

They’d emerged out into the midst of an intense battle. Several ships – both Republic and Separatist – were locked in combat in the upper atmosphere of the planet. Vulture droids, tri-fighters, Umbarans ships, as well as Republic ARC-170s, Z-95 Headhunters, and Y-wings darted this way and that, vying with one another for supremacy over the air while the capital ships kept up a steady stream of bombardment for both sides.

“Try to fly steady!” Fives ordered as the trio drew closer to the most heated area of conflict. “We’re goin’ in!”

They didn’t have much choice but to keep a low profile and fly in formation in an attempt to blend in with the other Umbarans. They couldn’t fire at the enemy craft or they’d risk being identified as fakes, and they absolutely weren’t going to target their brothers in Republic craft. Jesse did his best to lock his arms in place and keep close to Fives and Hardcase, all while keeping an eye on the ships around them.

At any moment, an Umbaran or droid could notice that they weren’t shooting and realize they weren’t friendly. Or worse, clone forces would see them as easy targets and decide to take them out. There were a lot of ways this could go wrong, and Jesse couldn’t do anything but stay as calm as possible and hope for the best.

“I’m really not liking this,” Hardcase said, echoing Jesse’s own thoughts.

“Easy, Hardcase,” Fives advised. “Don’t get an itchy trigger finger.”

The trio shot past a Separatist frigate just as another squadron of Umbaran fighters were in the midst of destroying a number of Z-95s attempting to siege the ship. To Jesse’s disappointment, the group took notice of the three clones and made to follow them.

_This is it. They’ve spotted us. They know we’re not in formation._

But he was wrong.

After only a few seconds, the other fighters darted off in another direction, away from them.

Jesse let out a slow sigh of relief. “Looks like they think we’re Umbaran alright,” he said.

“There’s the supply ship!” Fives called. “Follow me.”

Jesse looked ahead. Indeed, they were getting close to the huge DH-Omni Support Vessel that the Separatists were using to keep the Umbarans armed and ready to fight. The only problem was that they were going to have to pass by a Republic cruiser in order to get to it.

The _Reckless._

“Shit,” he said. “They’re gonna think we’re the enemy!”

“Just stay tight and fly fast,” Fives advised. “We just have to hope for the best.”

Jesse could practically feel the ship’s turbolasers acquiring their targets.

* * *

Ahsoka stood on the bridge of the _Reckless_ , only half paying attention to the battle reports coming in. She was busy briefing Gold and Blue Squadrons.

“Sandcat,” she said, beckoning the clone forward. He stepped up toward her and stood at attention. “I’m . . . sorry about Fireball and Can. I wish I could’ve saved them."

“They knew what they were doing, ma’am,” Sandcat said, relaxing slightly. “It was a one-way trip, and they volunteered.”

“And we’re grateful,” Ahsoka said, placing her hand on his shoulder. She gestured back toward Blue Squadron. “All of us.”

“That’s right,” Inferno nodded. “If they hadn’t covered us, there might’ve been a lot more casualties.”

“Thanks, guys,” said Flashpoint, and the other pilots of Gold Squadron nodded their agreement. “We know you would’ve done the same for them if it came to it. And they were proud to go out defending you, Commander Tano.”

Ahsoka nodded and tried to suppress the urge to grimace. She knew he said it to make her feel better, but in reality, those words had the opposite effect. She didn’t like knowing that the men would sacrifice themselves for her sake at any given moment. She didn’t want them to die for her. It was one thing for casualties to happen as part of a tactical decision or battle strategy; there was no getting around that. But when clones stepped in to save Ahsoka from a mess she’d gotten herself into – even unknowingly – always stung. Even if she knew it couldn’t really be helped.

There was always that one small part of her wondering if – _if_ – she could’ve done something that didn’t result in those sacrifices. Could she have planned better? Could she have fought better? Had she done something wrong or was the disaster bound to happen regardless?

Those were questions she didn’t have the answer to and never would.

Fireball. Can. Divebomb. Springer.

All dead.

“Sandcat,” Ahsoka said. “I’m placing you in command of Gold Squadron now. You’re being promoted to captain effective immediately.” Normally, this was something Anakin would do, but he still wasn’t back. So, the responsibility fell to her.

She hoped he’d approve of her choice.

The clone snapped to attention once more. “Thank you, ma’am,” he said. “I won’t let you or General Skywalker down.”

“I know you won’t.”

She stepped back and allowed the other clones to congratulate Sandcat on his promotion.

“Commander Tano?” She turned and saw Bly approaching. “We have an issue.”

_A Commander’s work is never done._

Bidding the pilots farewell, Ahsoka turned and followed Bly toward the front of the bridge. “What’s the problem?” she asked.

Bly led her to the frontal viewport and pointed ahead. “You see those three Umbaran fighters? They’ve broken rank and are headed right for us.”

“So?” Ahsoka asked, her predator’s eyes zeroing in on the three ships in question amidst the chaos of the ship-to-ship combat almost instantly. She raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t we just take them out?”

“All our fighter squadrons are occupied or resting,” Bly reported. “We’re shifting our turbolasers to lock onto them as we speak, but they need to cool down. I just thought you should know in case they managed to get under our guard and do some real damage.”

Ahsoka frowned. She knew it was possible. A swarm of Umbaran fighters had maneuvered past the defenses around one of the other Republic cruisers and had destroyed its thrusters, causing the ship to go down. Barriss was still out leading a squadron that was helping to guard the evacuees.

She leaned forward, resting her hands on the control panel in front of her, her nose only a few inches from the transparasteel.

“Why aren’t they shooting?” she wondered.

Bly shrugged. “Probably hoping they slip by undetected so they can do more damage later.”

“Shouldn’t there be more of them?”

“Whose to say? Those fighters are deadly. They might think they can take out a cruiser with just three.”

Ahsoka wasn’t quite sure. Something felt . . . off.

She eyed the fighters, watching as they got closer; as they passed over the nose of the ship. Their trajectory was all wrong if they were attempting to get a clear shot at any vulnerable areas of the ship. They were heading up. She estimated their general direction and followed it. The only thing further up than them was . . . the supply ship.

Closing her eyes, she reached out with the Force. There were three familiar presences nearby. Presences that should be far, far below her.

Fives. Jesse. Hardcase.

“Sir, our weapons are ready to fire,” said Slipstream from somewhere behind her. “Should I give the order to fire?”

“Do it,” nodded Bly.

“Belay that order!” Ahsoka barked, whirling around. “Do _not_ shoot at those three fighters.”

“Er, ma’am?” asked Slipstream, looking confused.

“Why not?” Bly demanded. “We can’t just let them get too close to us. We can’t afford to take that kind of damage!”

“We’re not going to,” Ahsoka assured him, smiling. “Those are some of _our_ boys.”

Bly cocked his head. “What?”

“I think the tide of this fight is going to turn in our favor any minute now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Mistakes Were Made for You - The Last Shadow Puppets
> 
> In the show, it seems like Jesse is the one to say "I'm really not liking this," to which Fives responds with Hardcase's name. But that didn't make sense, so I changed it.


	36. The Cycle of Violence

**Cockpit of Zenaus 33 starfighter, over Umbara**

Jesse breathed a sigh of relief as the trio of stolen starfighters flew past the _Reckless_ without getting blasted out of the sky.

“Guess we got by undetected!” Hardcase said.

“I doubt it,” Fives said. “They let us go.”

“Why would they do that?” Jesse asked. It didn’t make any sense; they were in enemy fighters and the clones on the ship had no way of knowing that they were friendly. They should’ve at least been shot at a little bit.

“I dunno,” Fives said. “But I’d bet Commander Tano has something to do with it.”

That would be Jesse’s bet to. “Thank god for that.”

“Let’s do this,” Hardcase said, pushing his ship forward as they shot past the Republic cruiser and up toward the supply ship.

“Remember,” Fives said, “we can access the main reactor by going through the main hangar. Head for the one on its starboard side!”

Jesse rearranged his hands and angled his ship to the left as the three of them neared the hangar and fell into a loose line; first Fives, then Jesse, then Hardcase. It was strange being this close to a Separatist ship and not getting shot at. So far, so good. But that was only going to last so long. Surely, they’d be found out before they managed to destroy the ship.

They just had to hope they had enough time to make preparations before that happened.

One-by-one, the clones piloted their ship through the rectangular opening on the starboard side of the ship. They entered a long hangar hallway that seemed to curve all the way around the half-spherical wing of the ship. Glancing around, Jesse saw crates, miscellaneous equipment, lifting gear, docked vulture droids, and battle droids milling about and doing menial labor. He was pretty sure he hit one of them as he shot past, too focused on making it to the reactor.

That was when the droids seemed to realize that the Umbaran ships weren’t actually on their side.

Red blaster bolts started flying at the ships as they flew by as the droids below retrieved rifles and began targeting them. But, just like with the clones’ weapons, the shots simply bounced off the hull or fizzled out against the ray-shields that protected the pilots.

_Now that we’re the ones using the ships, this doesn’t seem so bad._

Battles would be a lot easier if the enemy simply couldn’t touch them. Was this how Jedi felt sometimes?

Jesse’s optimism was quickly crushed when, up ahead, he saw that a large durasteel door was sliding shut, blocking their advance.

“Why did they have to go and do _that_?” Hardcase said, sounding almost offended.

The other clone sped up and took the lead position, an energy sphere building up in one of his starfighter’s missile pods. After a moment or two, the ball of energy shot forward, hitting the now-closed door and blasting it apart in a fiery explosion.

Debris flew in every direction, smoldering and glowing green. Jesse and Fives both took evasive action, swerving to avoid the fallout of Hardcase’s destructive attitude. He himself was not so lucky. One glowing green ball of twisted durasteel flew towards Hardcase’s ship and scraped past his starboard wing, taking a sizeable chunk out of it and leaving a smoking, greenish hole in its wake.

_Shit! I hope that didn’t hit anything vital._

_For his sake._

But Hardcase was still flying; that was at least a good sign.

“Reactor core locked,” Fives said, drawing Jesse’s attention forward once more. “Prepare missiles.”

The trio of starfighters had reached what appeared to be the end of the curved hangar bay. Just ahead, he could see a large room that was separate from the main route. It was filled top-to-bottom with several pillars that stretched from the floor to the ceiling, each emanating a low, orange glow.

It was the reactor core, alright.

“Fire missiles!” Fives ordered.

As one, Jesse and Fives activated their ships’ missile pods, building up energy spheres as they drew ever closer to the supply ship’s vulnerable core. The two balls of destruction shot out from the fighters and arced toward the core.

But to Jesse’s horror, a red ray-shield flickered to life in front of the entrance to the reactor room, and the two missiles fizzled out as they made contact.

“Ray shields; hit the deck!” Fives warned.

All three clones raised their hands and braced themselves, their ships rapidly decelerating as they scrambled to avoid crashing head-first into the near-impenetrable barrier that had suddenly been erected in front of them.

Jesse’s momentum caused him to swerve one-eighty degrees as he stopped only a few meters from the shield. Unfortunately, that gave him a clear view of the several squads of battle droids that were surrounding them, raising their blasters and opening fire on the clones in stolen Umbaran ships.

They all fired back, but there were always more droids.

“This may have been a bad idea after all,” Fives lamented.

“Our shields are sure takin’ a beating,” Jesse warned. Blaster bolt after blaster bolt pinged against his bubble cockpit, sending up red warning lights all around him.

_Apparently, they’ve got a tolerance limit after all._

_That’s just great._

But there was nothing he could do about that now, so he just kept shooting with the main cannon, cutting down droids left and right as they closed in on them.

It was surely only a matter of time now, though. They had to think of something before they were overrun.

“Can’t turn back now!” Hardcase shouted. “Cover me!”

_Oh, hell._

Still firing, Jesse glanced over to see the other clone remove his helmet, detach his missile pod, and shut down his fighter. It set down and he jumped out of the cockpit.

“Hardcase, get back in your ship!” Fives bellowed.

“Trust me, I got a plan!” Hardcase said, ignoring him. Dodging blaster fire, Hardcase circled his ship and grabbed the floating missile pod, guiding it toward a door on the far side of the ray shielded entrance to the reactor core that seemed to lead inside. He glanced back. “This is for the Five-Hundred-and-First. Don’t wait for me!”

“Hardcase, no!”

“You’ve disobeyed enough orders today, sir,” Hardcase said. “Follow this one: get out of here!”

He was going to blow up the reactor. With the missile pod. Manually.

“If I know Hardcase, we’d better leave,” Jesse said, glancing over at Fives as they both floated in the air, still under heavy fire from the countless clankers around them.

They didn’t have a choice but to go. Hardcase was going to blow up that reactor one way or the other. There was no sense in sticking around to die with him. Jesse hated leaving a brother behind like that, but Hardcase had made his choice.

He wasn’t going to take that away from him.

Fives seemed to agree, as he stopped firing his starfighter’s main cannon and kicked up his thrusters, propelling his ship forward and back toward the hangar’s exit. Away from Hardcase. Jesse mimicked him, and it was a good thing he did.

Only a split second later, he both heard and felt the massive explosion that took place behind them. He didn’t dare look, just pushed his thrusters as hard as he could and silently prayed that Hardcase had given them enough time to make it out.

“Come on, _come on_ ,” he muttered, trailing Fives by only a meter or two as they raced the deadly cloud of fire and debris that – even now – was tearing the supply ship apart inch-by-inch in a matter of seconds.

And then, they were out.

The two remaining fighters shot out of the hangar only a few inches ahead of the explosion and descended back into the chaos of aerial combat.

Finally, Jesse dared to look back. The entire starboard side of the supply ship was engulfed in flames, and it listed slightly as it was no doubt experiencing catastrophic system failures across the board. In only another minute or two, it would be totally destroyed. They had done it.

But . . .

“I can’t believe Hardcase did that,” Jesse said, almost to himself. “I mean . . . I guess I always expected him to die doing something stupid, but this . . .”

“He gave his life thinking he’d just saved his entire battalion from certain death,” Fives said. “We should all be so lucky.”

But his voice shook slightly.

* * *

Rex paused and looked up into the darkened sky.

Two Umbaran fighters were descending toward the airfield – only a few meters away – and through the clouds, he could see a huge fireball that was undoubtedly the Separatist supply ship.

“They did it!” said Tup, who was standing nearby and sounded as though he couldn’t believe it.

Truth be told, Rex barely could either. He walked toward the two ships as they touched down nearby and watched as the cockpit bubbles deactivated. Fives and Jesse both disembarked from their stolen ships and walked forward to meet Rex and Tup halfway, reaching up and removing their helmets as they did so.

Hardcase was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s Hardcase?” Tup asked.

“He didn’t make it,” Fives said, shaking his head sadly.

“We couldn’t have done it without him,” Jesse said.

Rex sighed. He wasn’t sure what to say. Even after having lost so many of his brothers this many years into the war, it was like a new wound was ripped open every time another one fell on the field of battle. Still, Hardcase had gone out a hero and would certainly be remembered that way – carrying out a plan that would surely have saved the lives of countless other clones.

Was there a better way to go?

Rex opened his mouth but didn’t even have time to say anything. The sound of approaching footsteps drew his attention behind him. Turning, he saw Appo, Vill, and Bow approaching. They paused nearby and stood straight; all business.

“General Krell would like to see them in the tower,” Appo announced, his voice betraying no emotion.

Already? Rex had hoped there would have been at least a little time before Krell had found out what Fives, Jesse, and Hardcase had truly been doing with those fighters.

Despite telling Fives the contrary, Rex had covered for them, telling Krell that he himself had authorized recon of the delta by the capital using the Umbaran fighters. Apparently, the General had spotted the fighters returning and the fireball in the sky and had put two and two together.

There was going to be hell to pay, surely.

Rex looked around to see Fives and Jesse glance at one another, looking resigned.

He shook his head. “Come on,” he sighed. “I’ll take you to him. Tup, you can head back to the barracks.”

“Yes, sir,” nodded the young clone, looking nervous. No doubt he would tell everyone who would listen what had happened. Everyone would know that Hardcase was dead and that Fives and Jesse had actually pulled off their crazy plan within the hour.

Rex, Fives, and Jesse walked away from the Umbaran fighters and headed in the direction of the airbase’s main spire.

“You two . . . did good,” Rex said, once they were out of earshot of the others. “I think you and Hardcase saved a lot of lives up there. Both for the Five-Oh-First and for the pilots trying to break the blockade.”

“I know, sir,” Jesse said. “I just wish Hardcase was around to see it.”

“What exactly happened?” Rex asked. “How did he die?”

“We got cornered in the main hangar of the ship,” Fives explained. “Hardcase decided that the only way to complete the mission was to detach his missile pod and ram it into the main reactor, so that’s what he did. Told Jesse and me to get out and, well . . . I tried to stop him, but there wasn’t time. And – you know Hardcase – once he’s got his mind set on something . . .”

“There’s no talking him down,” Rex nodded. “Yeah, that’s him alright. I don’t think there was any changing his mind at that point.”

“Anything happen while we were gone?”

“Krell asked about the fighters and I . . . I told him you were reconning the delta for the main attack,” Rex said. He didn’t glance back, but he felt both Fives’ and Jesse’s surprise through the Force. “I know I said I wouldn’t cover for you, but . . . it felt like the right thing to do. You were right, Fives. I think this was the right call.”

“Er, thank you, sir,” Fives said, still sounding a little taken aback. “I thought you said you weren’t going to get involved.”

“Well,” Rex said, not looking back, “I changed my mind.”

“I just hope whatever punishment Krell gives us isn’t too steep,” Jesse remarked. “I somehow doubt it’ll be something generic like KP, I’ll tell ya that.”

“You may have disobeyed orders,” Rex said, “but you did succeed. And you might’ve just helped both our assault on the capital and the breaking of the blockade. That might win you some leniency points.”

Maybe. And that was a big maybe. But he had to at least hope.

The trio of clones passed through the lobby area at the base of the main spire and stepped into the lift that took them up to the command center. After a short ride, the door slid open and Rex stepped through, taking a deep breath.

“You wanted to see them, sir?” he asked, stepping aside and allowing Fives and Jesse to walk past him.

Krell stood with his back to them all, staring at the holographic plate in the center of the room, his lower arms clasped behind his back and his upper arms folded and stroking his chin.

“Indeed,” he said, not turning around. “It seems they have accomplished a very brave act. Unfortunately, they’ve also committed a serious crime by directly disobeying my order.” And then he turned to face them.

Rex stepped forward. “With all due respect, sir,” he said, “the order to attack the cargo vessel was mine. If there’s a punishment to be given, it should be directed toward me. I’m their commanding officer.”

He couldn’t let them take a fall for this, even if Rex _hadn’t_ ordered it. It wasn’t right.

“General, sir,” Fives said, shoving past Rex, “Captain Rex is attempting to take the blame for actions that were clearly mine.”

“Fives!”

The other clone shot him a look, his jaw set. He wasn’t going to let Rex clear him. “I request that his admission of guilt be denied and full blame placed upon me.”

“Oh, do you?” asked Krell, who had simply stood by and watched the exchange take place without his expression changing. “You willfully countermand my direct order, and now you have the _audacity_ to request who should bear the punishment of your insurrection?” He tapped one large finger hard against Fives’ chestplate. “Let me be clear about the punishment for the treason committed by ARC trooper Fifty-Five-Fifty-Five and CT-Fifty-Five-Ninety-Seven.” He leaned in toward Rex. “They will be court-martialed, they will be found guilty, and they will be _executed_.”

_Executed._

That was it. There was no fighting that. No getting out of that.

Death.

Krell backed off and turned back toward the hologram once more. “Make no mistake,” he said. “For crossing me, you will pay the price.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Cycle of Violence - The Last of Us Part 2 Soundtrack
> 
> Another fallen brother to add to the list. At least he went out like a hero.
> 
> Sorry I've been sluggish in regards to replying to comments lately; I've been splitting time between work, finals, and writing this and I'm really behind schedule (I'm almost finished with the last chapter in the small Umbara Recovery arc). I promise I still read and appreciate everything you guys write, even if I don't reply. I'll be done soon, though, so I'll be able to focus on this again shortly.
> 
> P.S.: Star Wars fans are living right now. Those show announcements and the trailer we got for the Bad Batch has me SUPER hyped.


	37. Collateral

**Barracks of Republic-held airbase, Umbara**

Rex stood behind General Krell at the top of the spire as the Jedi looked out the huge floor-to-ceiling window that took up the entirety of one wall, watching the base far below.

“General,” Rex said, “I respectfully request you reconsider court-martialing Fives and Jesse.” He had to at least try. Though he still wasn’t sure what he – or anyone else, for that matter – could say or do to change the General’s mind.

“The actions of ARC trooper Fifty-Five-Fifty-Five and CT-Fifty-Five-Ninety-Seven were a clear act of treachery and disregard for my command,” Krell said, not even bothering to look back at him. He was doing it again; referring to the clones by their numbers and not their names, even though he clearly knew them. Reducing them to numbers. Less than human. “If punishment isn’t swift, their defiance may inspire others to follow suit.”

“Sir, the men are with you,” Rex assured him. That was far from the total truth. “It’s just that some of them feel you’re putting their lives in danger needlessly.”

Krell's riposte was swift. “All the more reason to send a clear message that I am in charge, and insubordination will not be tolerated.” He turned toward Rex. “The truth is, these clones have had a difficult time respecting my command since the beginning. I’ve seen it before. Some clones are just . . . defective.” Rex’s jaw tightened. “They aren’t able to succumb to authority. You’re right, Captain. I don’t think I can court-martial them. It will only be a waste of time, and that’s something we don’t have.”

Hold on. Were Rex’s ears deceiving him? Was Krell going to back off on Fives and Jesse?

But no, Krell walked right up to Rex and spoke his next words.

“I’m afraid they’ll need to be disposed of.” Rex’s head shot up and his eyes widened in surprise. Krell placed a hand on his shoulder. He suddenly felt cold, but he wasn’t sure if that was from the shock of the news or something else entirely. “Prepare a squad for execution.”

And he walked off.

Rex whipped around, still reeling. “What?” he gaped. “But-but, sir –”

“You heard me, Captain!” Krell said, rounding on him. His tone left little room for arguments. “Have it done immediately, or I’ll do it myself!”

There was no doubt in Rex’s mind that he meant what he said.

* * *

“Executed?” Denal demanded, rising off his assigned bunk to stare the other trooper dead in the face. “Are you sure?”

Joc held up his hands. “I was in the room when he said it,” he said. “Don’t shoot the messenger – I’m just as shocked as you.”

“I can’t believe this,” said Boro, who was organizing his field kit along with Coric at one of the nearby tables. “I understand that they have to be punished for breaking orders, but this is taking it _way_ too far.”

“I don’t like it either,” said Appo, who was touching up the paint job on his armor, “but he’s still the General. What he says goes, now more than ever.”

Denal shook his head. He couldn’t _believe_ this. Execution? To his knowledge, no Jedi general had ever ordered clones to be straight up executed before. Ever. This was nearly unprecedented.

“Drayk?” he asked, looking over at the Captain, who stood by the door leading out of the barracks. “Can you or Rex do anything about this? Fives and Jesse _can’t_ get executed.”

Drayk sighed, passing a hand over his eyes before answering. “We’re trying,” he said. “Rex is trying to talk him down as we speak, but . . .”

“But you don’t think it’s going to work?” asked Edge, who was playing sabaac with Ox and Pulsar on the floor beside one of the bunks.

“I can’t say I’m too optimistic, no,” Drayk admitted. “Krell seems adamant that they have to go for disobeying his direct orders.”

“That’s a load of banthashit,” Ox said. “They were stupid orders to begin with. If those two and Hardcase hadn’t blown up that supply ship, we’d all be marching to our deaths right now.”

He was right, of course. They all knew that. Them disobeying orders had saved countless lives. The problem was: that really only made the situation more complicated than it already was.

“I can’t say I trust the General all that much,” Pulsar said. “It feels like we’re making all the wrong moves. I’ve never heard of any Jedi acting like this before.”

“Woah, there,” Appo said, looking up. “Careful, Pulsar. He’s still the General, whether we like it or not.”

“Sounds like most of us _don’t_ like it,” Denal said. He knew he sounded bitter.

But he _was_ bitter.

“For what it’s worth, I agree with you,” Drayk said. “And so does Rex. We might be able to get Krell to cool it at least a little bit. Maybe hold off until Skywalker and Tano get back. That’s the best we can hope for.”

“There’s no way either of them would stand for this,” Ox said.

“Exactly.”

“Can’t we contact them right now?” Denal asked. “Maybe one of them would step in if we told them what was going on.” He was impatient. He wanted something done about this _now_. Before it even had the _chance_ to get any worse.

Drayk shook his head sadly. “We can’t contact anyone,” he said. “Let alone the General. Kriffing Umbarans have our comms jammed up real tight. We can’t even get anything through to Kenobi and Cody, and they’re only a few klicks away from us.”

“So, basically,” said Edge, scowling as he accepted a new hand of cards from Pulsar, “you’re saying that all we can do is sit around, wait, and hope for the best?”

“Essentially, yes,” Drayk said.

“I hate waiting around,” Pulsar muttered, shaking his head.

“Especially when we ought to be doing something about it,” Denal pointed out.

“I don’t like it,” Drayk assured them. “None of us do. But that’s just how it’s going to be.”

Letting out an angry snort, Denal pushed past Joc and made for the door. “I need to walk,” he lied. “Think things over a bit.”

“I’ll come with you,” Joc offered.

“No thanks.”

All the same, the nosy clone trailed after Denal as he made his way over to the exit and passed through it. The moment the doors closed behind them, separating the pair from their brothers, Joc caught Denal’s arm.

“You’re not really just ‘going for a walk,’ are you?” he asked, cocking his head.

“What makes you think that?” Denal deadpanned.

Joc stared at him.

“Fine. I’m going to try and find a way to get a signal through to Commander Tano,” Denal said. “Skywalker isn’t around, so she’s got to be the one who hears about this. Maybe she can do something.” He couldn’t just sit around and do nothing; not with Fives’ and Jesse’s lives on the line. He had to act.

“You heard Drayk,” Joc reasoned. “There’s no getting through to her – they’ve tried.”

“I’m a slicer,” Denal reasoned. He had a better chance of figuring out than most. “And I don’t need a permanent workaround; just a small window so I can get a message through. That’s all.”

“I . . . guess,” Joc said, though he didn’t sound convinced.

“Have you got a better option?”

Silence.

“Then why don’t you come along and help me?”

* * *

Fives and Jesse had been sitting together in a cell for the last couple of hours.

There was a brig in the airbase – a cylindrical section of one of the buildings that descended down below ground level, lined with ray-shielded, circular cells. At the moment, most of them were filled with Umbarans that the clones had taken prisoner. Except for Fives and Jesse.

The pair had been stripped of their helmets, torso armor, and weapons by Appo – who had apologized – and Dogma – who would barely speak to them other than barking orders. They’d also been placed in binders that had yet to be removed, which Fives thought was a little excessive, but there was no complaining at this point.

“Whaddaya think?” Jesse asked. The other clone sat hunched over on a bench on the other side of the cell, while Fives reclined across from him, his head resting against the wall. “Are we really gonna be successfully court-martialed?”

Fives sighed. “I dunno,” he admitted. “Normally, I’d say no. But Krell’s an unknown quantity. I wouldn’t put it past him to push it through. I’m not even sure when he’ll find the time to do it during this battle, but I bet he’ll _make_ time.”

“I’ve never met anyone as hard-headed as this guy,” Jesse said. “Clone or Jedi.”

“You got that right,” Fives nodded. “It’s almost as if . . .” He trailed off.

“As if what?”

Fives grunted and didn’t answer. Even _he_ knew when to keep his mouth shut at a certain point.

“Oh, come on, Fives,” Jesse prompted, leaning forward. “We’re in the _brig_. No one’s here but the Umbarans. What are they gonna do? Tell on us? We’re already being court-martialed for treason; how much worse could it get?”

_Well, he’s got a point._

“Alright, alright,” Fives said. “You remember what I said a while ago? I said that I used to think Krell was reckless, but I was starting to wonder if he just hated clones. I mean . . . he always seems to choose the path that leads to the most casualties. Even if it’s not the quickest and most efficient way to victory. That just doesn’t make any sense – not unless victory isn’t his main goal.”

Jesse frowned. “I . . . I dunno, Fives,” he said, looking nervous. “I mean, he may be a huge _di’kut_ , but he’s still a Jedi, right? They’re all the good guys. Peacekeepers. There’s no way a _Jedi_ would purposefully try to get clones killed.”

Fives didn’t say anything, but he wasn’t totally sure. None of this made any sense. No normal Jedi would be acting the way Krell was. He felt like there was something they were missing in all of this.

He didn’t have time to think about it any further, though. As, at that moment, Fives saw the energy platform from above start to descend. That meant that someone was coming to pay them a visit. Jesse saw it too, and the pair of clones stood and turned toward the front of the cell, waiting.

Slowly, a group of clones came into view. Rex, Kano, Rook, Checkers, and Dandy all came into view as the energy platform slid down into the brig to allow access to the level of cells that Fives and Jesse were placed in.

As the platform drew to a stop, Rex stepped toward them, looking grim.

Whatever this was about, it wasn’t good news.

“Fives, Jesse, I’m sorry,” the Captain said, his voice sounding somewhat distorted as it filtered through the energy wall that separated them. “General Krell has ordered your execution immediately.”

So that was it, then.

Fives closed his eyes.

“What?” Jesse demanded. “But – how? He can’t do this!”

“He has authority to render punishment during combat,” Rex said, sounding subdued.

Fives opened his eyes. Rex’s head was lowered. Jesse was shaking his.

“I can understand a court-martial and locking us up in the brig, but _executing_ us?” Jesse said.

“I tried to convince him that it’s my fault,” Rex explained, “but he wouldn’t let me.”

Fives needed to step in; he couldn’t stay silent any longer. “Rex,” he said, “you have to face it. He’s been using you. He needs your loyalty to control the others.”

Rex moved his arm forward and unlocked the cell. The energy field around Fives and Jesse’s cell. Checkers and Dandy formed up on either side of the entryway. Checkers motioned for them to come out as Rex backed away.

“I won’t let him get away with this,” Rex said.

“Ah, don’t beat yourself up about it,” Fives said as he stepped out just behind Jesse. “We made our choice. We knew what the price was.”

“Yeah, speak for yourself,” Jesse griped, shaking his head.

Fives chuckled despite the circumstances. “Heh. Still got your sense of humor, I see,” he remarked.

“Yeah, who said I was joking?”

“Well . . .” Fives said, taking a deep breath. “Guess this is it.”

Kano pressed a button on the central control panel and the elevator began to rise.

Fives wasn’t afraid of death. Most clones weren’t, given that they were born and bred for danger and combat. But that didn’t mean he wanted to die. Still, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. He wouldn’t have to fight and hurt anymore. And he’d lost plenty of brothers all throughout the war. Maybe he’d see them again.

Droidbait, Cutup, Hevy, Koho, Ross, Trap, Scythe, Havoc, Redeye, 99, Charger. Echo.

Plenty of others.

“Sorry about this, guys,” Dandy said, looking sideways at the captives. “Wish it didn’t have to be this way.”

“You and me both,” muttered Jesse.

It was a short, quiet ride back up to ground level. The squad led them back outside, where they were met by Appo, Vill, and Bow, who took over custody from Kano and the others. Rex stayed with them, though, as they marched across the airbase.

Fives looked around, knowing it would more than likely be the last time he got the chance for that sort of thing.

It really was unfortunate that he was going to die on a dark planet like this. He liked the sky. He wished he’d be able to actually look at a bright sky before he died. Instead, the only thing he saw was inky black when he looked up toward space. The base itself was mostly deserted. It seemed as though only a few clones moved to and fro. Maybe they didn’t want to be around to see the execution.

Fives could understand that.

He didn’t want to be there for it himself, but then again, it was _his_ execution.

“Line up the prisoners!” shouted a voice in the distance.

Looking ahead, Fives saw that they were being marched in front of one of the buildings beside where most of the Umbaran starfighters were stored. Standing a few meters in front of it was a line of six clones all holding DC-15 rifles. Dogma stood in front of them, calling the shots. Everyone was helmetless and stood ramrod straight, waiting.

Mixer, Vaughn, Checkers, Tup, Kix, and Toomer.

One of them was going to fire the shot that killed Fives.

“Well, I’ve officially lost my sense of humor,” Jesse said.

As they drew near, Vill and Bow directed the pair of them to stand directly in front of the wall of the building, then split off; Vill going to stand beside Appo to their left and Bow heading a few meters to their right. They turned to face the line of clones.

Dogma stepped forward. “Will the prisoners request to be blindfolded?” he asked, as though he didn’t know them.

Fives said nothing, he just stared straight ahead, his jaw set. He was ready. He wasn’t going to go out like a coward; never knowing when the shot would come or who fired it.

Jesse, taking Fives’ lead, stayed quiet as well.

“I’ll take that as a no,” Dogma said, turning away from them.

“I hope you can live with yourself, Dogma,” Fives spat, unable to stop himself.

The young clone didn’t even acknowledge his words as he stepped off to one side, joining Rex just beside the firing squad.

“Ready weapons!” Dogma called, raising one arm.

All six clones in the lineup shouldered their rifles, still staring blankly forward.

“Never thought we’d go out this way,” Jesse said, shaking his head.

Fives glanced over at him. His posture was slightly slouched, his head bowed. He’d already given up. So had Rex. The Captain held one closed fist close to his chest and had squeezed his eyes tightly shut, unable to watch what was about to happen.

“Aim!”

The men leveled their rifles at Fives and Jesse.

Was this it?

_No._

“Wait!” Fives said, taking a step forward. His hands might have been bound, but his mouth was free to move. “This is wrong. And we all know it. The General is making a mistake, and he needs to be called on it. No clone should have to go out this way! We are loyal soldiers. We follow orders, but we are not a bunch of unthinking droids! We are men. We must be trusted to make the right decisions, especially when the orders we are given are wrong.”

“Fire!” Dogma bellowed.

That was it.

Fives had said his bit. Even if he died here and now, he would at least go knowing he’d done his best to do something. To inspire someone, _anyone_ , to stand up for themselves and for their brothers.

Six shots rang out simultaneously.

Instinctively, Fives hunched forward and flinched, momentarily closing his eyes even though he knew it wouldn’t do him any good.

But . . .

Nothing happened.

Fives opened his eyes once more.

He was still alive.

Beside him, Jesse had almost doubled over, his face screwed up in fear and his eyes still shut tight. But he slowly straightened and looked around once more as well, just as surprised to still find himself in the land of the living.

Behind them, six blaster bolts had impacted into the durasteel of the side of the building. Several inches above their heads.

The firing squad had all missed. On purpose.

“What . . . What happened?” Dogma demanded, looking absolutely flabbergasted as he stepped forward once more.

With an immense clatter, all six clones dropped their rifles to the ground.

“They’re doing the right thing, Dogma,” Rex said, softly, stepping forward and placing a hand on Dogma’s shoulder, “because if _this_ is how soldiers are rewarded for heroic actions, then one day, every man in this battalion may face a similar fate.” He turned toward Appo and his men. “Take off their binders.”

“No,” Dogma maintained stepping into the center of the scene before anyone could make a move. “We have orders. We have to go through with this.”

But Vill and Bow had both already stepped forward, each man circling around behind the prisoners and fiddling with the binders that kept their hands restrained. Fives felt the tightness of the cuffs disappear, and he was suddenly free again.

In a matter of seconds, his reality had flipped completely upside down.

“Good luck finding anyone to do it,” Rex told Dogma.

* * *

“How’re things going?” Ahsoka asked, standing over the holotable in the command center of the Republic cruiser.

“Much better now that the supply ship’s destroyed,” Bly reported, tapping at the controls and bringing up a holographic version of the aerial battlefront. “We’re making some real progress against the CIS air-forces.

“Our fighter groups have managed to destroy one of the dreadnaughts and two of the frigates,” Barriss said. “Their defenses are beginning to crumble; I believe we will achieve victory in less than a day.”

Their prospects were suddenly a lot better than they had been just a few short hours ago. Fives, Hardcase, and Jesse taking out that supply ship had really spurred on their offensive. It was too bad that she couldn’t get Rex on the comms and thank him for the support. It had probably been his plan. Or Fives' - this was something right up his alley.

“Sill nothing from the ground forces?” Ahsoka checked, glancing over at Bly.

She’d been asking that same question on-and-off for the last day or so, and still, the answer always seemed to be the same.

“Nothing yet,” Bly sighed, shaking his head. “They haven’t contacted us, and they haven’t answered when we’ve tried to reach out to them. They’re either busy or their communications are still being disrupted.”

“Or they’ve been overrun,” Barriss pointed out.

Ahsoka knew her friend was just pointing out all the options on the table, but it still stung.

“No way,” she said, emphatically. “They’re still down there. They’ve got to be.” Surely, she’d know if they’d been wiped out. She would’ve felt it through Rex. If only she could do more than sense his general state, she might be able to figure out if everything was okay. “If Fives, Hardcase, and Jesse managed to take fighters and blow up that ship, at least some of them have to be alive and holding territory of some sort, right?”

“It seems that way,” Bly said. “But I don’t like how little information we have on the ground game right now. I wish –”

And then a light on the table before them started blinking rapidly.

Bly was so shocked that he took a step back.

“What is it, Commander?” Barriss asked.

“We’re . . . we’re getting a signal from the planet!” he said, disbelief evident in his voice. “It’s unstable, but it’s there.”

Ahsoka rounded on the nearest group of officers. “Slipstream, get over here,” she ordered. “We’ve got a signal for you to patch through!”

Hastily, the clone made his way over and started working the control panel.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” he muttered. “I dunno how they broke through the jammers, but there’s a comm single here alright. I’ll try and patch it through.”

He spent several seconds tapping away at the controls, trying to tune to the correct frequency. Ahsoka waited with bated breath, hoping against hope that she’d get a report from Rex. Just to be totally sure that nothing was going wrong down there. She just wanted to see him. To hear his voice.

“Got it!”

A hologram of a clone trooper flickered into existence before them, replacing the real-time image of the space battle.

But it wasn’t Rex.

“– rying to get another – oh, shit! Stop changing frequencies; I’m through!” said Denal, stopping midsentence as he appeared to address someone just out of view.

“Denal?” Ahsoka asked, raising one brow. “What’s going on? Where’s Rex? Where’s General Krell? Is everything okay?”

Why would Denal of all people be trying to get in contact with her? He wasn’t exactly high on the chain of command. If Rex or Krell wasn’t available, Drayk or Fives should’ve been checking in. This wasn’t making any sense.

Denal glanced around at everyone in the vicinity – Ahsoka, Barriss, Bly, and Slipstream. “Listen,” he said, his voice sounding somewhat filled with static, “I don’t think – much time. Signal’s pretty spotty. Joc and I had to – their encryption cycles. They’ll probably discover us soon.”

“What’s going on?” Ahsoka asked yet again.

“We’ve got a problem, ma’am,” Denal explained, sounding urgent. “Fives and Jesse; they stole – Umbaran starfighters – pply ship completely unsanctioned! General – _not_ happy about it. They’re being – and they could be executed!”

_What did he just say?_

“Denal!” Ahsoka said, leaning forward, her palms pressing so tightly into the holotable that they hurt. “You’re not making any sense. Are you saying that Fives and Jesse weren’t supposed to destroy the ship? They’re in trouble?”

_Where's Hardcase?_

“Y – that right, ma’am,” nodded Denal, breaking off again. His holographic form wavered. “Krell said th –” He cut out once more. “Did you get that? Court-martialed and executed! This is out of control!”

“What?” Bly demanded. “Execution?”

“Yes!”

Ahsoka could barely believe what she was hearing. Was that even _possible_?

Denal glanced around. “Lis – to go. Not – time. Signal’s –” And he cut out again, his image momentarily dissipating.

“Denal?” Ahsoka asked. “Denal!”

“Sorry, ma’am,” the clone said, flickering into view again. “I can’t – ay much longer. You need to get down here!”

And he was gone.

“Slipstream, is the signal still there?” Ahsoka demanded, rounding on the officer.

He was already tapping away at the controls again, looking frustrated. He shook his head. “Agh, no,” he muttered. “It’s gone. Umbaran’s must’ve realized they got a transmission through and blocked it.”

Ahsoka banged her fist against the console, then whirled around and began stalking toward the exit.

“Ahsoka? Ahsoka, where are you going?”

That was Barriss.

She turned around, her fists clenched, her face screwed up in determination. “Where am I going?” she asked, almost angry. “I’m going down there! Something’s going wrong and they need me!”

“Ahsoka, we have a job to do,” Barriss reminded her, calm as ever. “We have to break this blockade.” She gestured back toward the bridge. Through the viewport behind her, Ahsoka could still make out the sight of aerial combat; capital ships anchored in place, fighters flying past at breakneck speed, laser fire whizzing this way and that. “If we fail, all the troops on the ground could be in mortal danger. We need you _here_.”

“But they need me down there!”

She couldn’t just abandon her men.

Abandon Rex.

“Ahsoka, don’t allow your personal feelings to cloud your judgment,” Barriss said, spreading her hands and sounding uncannily like Master Obi-Wan. “If the Separatists win up here, there will be no one down there to help.”

Ahsoka closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It was down to her to make the call. What was it gonna be?

Finish the fight or go to her men? What would Anakin do?

Actually, she knew the answer to that already. Anakin would drop everything and go after his friends no matter what because he was always there to help when they needed it. But was that really always the right thing to do?

Ahsoka sighed, then opened her eyes.

“Okay,” she nearly whispered. “I’ll stay. But only until we’ve almost won. After that, I _need_ to head down there.”

“Thank you, Ahsoka,” Barriss said.

“I’ll get a team together, ma’am,” Bly said. “I’ll have Lieutenant Barr get a team together. We’ll be ready to go within the hour; whenever you need.”

Ahsoka trudged back toward the holotable. “Thanks, Bly,” she said, shooting the commander a grateful look. She focused on the hologram before her. “Let’s finish this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Collateral - The Last of Us Part 2 Soundtrack
> 
> So Ahsoka knows something's up, but will she arrive in time or be too late?


	38. Black Tower

**Command spire of Republic-held airbase, Umbara**

Rex, his helmet tucked under one arm, strode into the command center atop the main spire alongside Dogma, who mimicked his posture.

Fives and Jesse hadn’t been totally freed; they’d just been stripped of their binders and placed back into their cell. They were no longer in danger of being executed. At least for the time being.

Dogma was not happy about it. Appo was a little skeptical as well, given that they’d disobeyed direct orders in pardoning them, but he still went along with it. Drayk, Vaughn, and Coric, however, were adamant that they’d made the right call. That was good enough for Rex.

Now, it was time to see what kind of flak they were going to get from Krell himself.

“You wanted us, sir?” Rex asked, marching up to the Besalisk Jedi, who once again was staring at the holotable with his back to the pair of clones.

“I ordered those clones destroyed to be destroyed,” the General said, his voice just on the edge of sounding angry as he rounded on Rex. He leaned in, placing a hand on Rex’s shoulder. Not in comfort, but in control. “You are making a mistake by crossing me, clone.”

_I ordered those clones to be destroyed._

_Clone._

_Destroyed._

He was talking about them like equipment again. Not as people.

Rex gritted his teeth. He looked up into Krell’s narrowed eyes and held his ground. Channeling every bit of resentment, doubt, and rage that he’d experienced ever since Krell first took over command of the 501st, he uttered three firm words.

“It’s _Captain_ , sir.”

Krell growled in fury.

Rex held his gaze.

“General,” called Joc, who was manning a nearby comms station, “there’s an incoming transmission.”

For a second, Rex was sure Krell was going to ignore the new development and dig into him. But the moment passed. The Jedi stood up and turned to Joc.

“Put it through,” he said.

Both Rex and Krell turned to the holotable as the many tiny holographic cubes came together and took the form of a clone trooper, crouched and holding a DC-15 carbine. By the markings Rex could make out on his armor, Rex identified him as a member of the 212th, but he wasn’t sure who exactly.

“General,” the trooper said, sounding urgent, “the Umbarans have stepped up their offensive. We’re holding them off, but their squadrons have ambushed one of our platoons, seizing weapons and uniforms. We believe they may be planning to launch a massive attack.”

And then his form dissipated.

He was gone.

Krell turned to Rex, his arms folded. “Looks like you have your stay of execution,” he said, sounding none too pleased. “For now.” He stalked off. “Lock the traitors in the brig and prepare your platoons to move out immediately. We need to preempt the enemy by hitting them now with everything we’ve got.” Rex and Dogma made to follow him, and the three stepped into the lift together. “We’re finally going to take the capital.”

As the lift doors closed and the platform began to move downward, Krell rounded on Rex.

“And Captain,” he said, “make sure the troops are aware that the enemy may disguise themselves as clones to try to trick us.”

Rex felt an uneasy wave pass over him.

The enemy disguised as clones? They might end up shooting at people dressed as their brothers?

That thought made his stomach turn.

“I will, sir,” he nodded.

He looked over at Dogma, trying to gauge if he was experiencing any similar feelings of nervousness. However, the younger clone only gave Rex a contempt-filled glance before looking away again.

He really was not happy.

That was too bad.

* * *

Rex didn’t count himself surprised when he discovered the Krell himself wasn’t personally going to accompany the clones on their excursion toward the capital. He was going to monitor the battle from the airbase’s command center while Rex, Drayk, and their lieutenants and sergeants to lead the assault from the front.

Rex had rounded up several platoons while leaving a contingent to guard the airbase; couldn’t be too careful if the Umbarans were getting desperate and emboldened. Equipped with night vision gear and mortars, they ventured into the surrounding forest, beginning their trek from the airbase to the capital.

“What do you think?” muttered Drayk, staying close to Rex. “The enemy using our equipment? I don’t like it . . .”

“Neither do I,” Rex said, careful not to let his voice carry too far. “But then, there hasn’t been much about this campaign that I _did_ like.”

“Hear, hear,” Drayk said. He was quiet for a few moments as they picked their way through the dark foliage. Then, he glanced over at Rex again. “You did the right thing, you know. Standing up to Krell and keeping Fives and Jesse safe. It was the right call.”

“I hope so,” Rex said. “I just . . . I’m nervous.”

“About?”

Taking a deep breath, Rex said the words he’d been afraid to give voice to for a few days now. “I think General Krell’s leadership is a danger to us all,” he said. “His plans are too reckless. Even for Skywalker, and his plans usually end up with more lives saved than ended. He’s putting the men in danger needlessly and I’m not sure how this is all going to end.”

“You need to take control, Rex,” Drayk said. “Dandy told me what Fives said before the almost-execution. He’s right about one thing: Krell needs your support to control the troops. We might both be captains, but Skywalker chose _you_ to be the leader of the Five-Oh-First. You lead, and the boys’ll follow. All of us have faith in your judgment.”

Rex shook his head. After this fight was over, he was going to have some hard decisions to make regarding what he was going to do with General Krell. Should he just outright disobey his orders? Take command of the situation himself?

Even _thinking_ about that had to be breaking some kind of rule.

A clone taking command away from a Jedi. Surely that wasn’t allowed.

Right?

“Stay alert,” Rex said, raising his voice as his hands went for his DC-17s. He didn’t want to think about that right now, especially since the enemy might ambush them at any moment. He needed to be focused. “The enemy has our weapons and armor. They may try to trick us with an ambush.”

That was what Krell had said. And that seemed to have been what had happened according to that 212th trooper than had contacted them. Better to be prepared for the worst than not prepared at all.

They kept marching through the dark, dense foliage in two long lines, blasters raised and ready to fire at anything that might jump out at them; be it creature or person.

“Watch out, Dogma!” said Tup from behind them.

Instinctively, Rex whipped around, thinking Dogma had almost stepped on a mine or was about to be shot by an Umbaran hiding in the darkness, but it was a false alarm. Tup had simply prevented Dogma from stepping on one of the tentacles of the hidden, carnivorous monsters that were hidden all over the place. Rex relaxed a tad when he realized they weren’t in any immediate danger. Tup proceeded to illustrate the problem by tossing a rock at the creature’s center, momentarily waking it and causing it to flail about, its tentacles searching for prey.

Rex didn’t even have time to turn back around toward the front when a wave of unease swept over him.

Without thinking, he ducked. A blue blaster bolt whizzed right over his head and struck a trooper just behind him, sending him to the ground. Suddenly, more bolts appeared out of the darkness ahead of them, striking several more lead troopers.

“We’re under attack!” Dryak warned.

Everyone scattered into cover, barely aiming as they struggled to locate their adversaries and effectively return fire.

“Where’s the enemy?” Sarge demanded.

“I dunno, I can’t see anything!” Mixer said, taking cover against a nearby tree.

Rex mimicked them, pressing himself as close as he could to a nearby tree and taking a knee in order to make himself a smaller target. He needed to get a handle on things. They were confused; they couldn’t see. That made them easy pickings. If they didn’t come up with an effective counter, they’d be taken out before making any significant progress.

An explosion rocked the ground several meters away, taking out half a squad.

_Mortars? They’ve got our mortars too?_

_But we have those._

He glanced back. “Get those mortars up here!” he ordered.

Tup, Dogma, Toomer, and Checkers all rushed toward him. As a unit, the clones yanked the cylindrical, portable mortar launchers off their back and braced them against the ground. After a second or two of adjustments each, they fired in a line, sending a volley of deadly explosives ahead of their front lines, hopefully taking plenty of enemies out in the process.

“Anyone have a visual?” Rex asked, glancing back toward Kix and Drayk, who’d taken cover behind some roots a meter or two behind him.

Kix reached up and focused his night vision attachment, undoubtedly zeroing in on the area just ahead of them in an attempt to make out exactly who they were fighting and where they were coming from. After a few moments, he shook his head.

“Ah, negative,” he said. “It’s too dark.” He paused. “Oh, wait! I see them. They’re disguised as clones, alright.”

“Damn it,” Drayk cursed. “That makes things awkward.”

“We can still win this,” Rex assured them. He opened a comm channel. “Push up! Keep the mortars in reserve in case we need them later.”

The effect of his words was immediate. White-and-blue armored clones streamed forward, blasters blazing as they fired back. Hot stripes of blue flew through the air on both sides; an unnerving sight. Ahead, Rex finally saw the enemy as they appeared in the brush ahead. Clones. But they weren’t really clones. Just Umbarans wearing 212th armor and wielding Republic weapons. Right? Right.

_Clone troopers fired upon one another in the blackness of night._

Has this . . . happened before? I’ve seen this before somewhere . . .

Rex stood stock still.

“Rex?” _Mortis._ “Rex!” Someone shook his shoulders, snapping him out of the trance he’d placed himself under. It was Drayk. “Rex, what are you doing? We’ve got a battle to win here.”

Even as blaster fire rained around them, it still took Rex blinking a few times to really snap back to reality. He – of course – couldn’t tell the other captain about Mortis. Or his visions. Or anything like that. Still, though. Something suddenly felt . . . wrong.

And he didn’t like it.

“Y-Yeah,” Rex said, nodding. “I’m good. Let’s go.”

“Good,” Drayk said, sounding relieved. “’Cause –”

Rex would never know what the other man planned on saying because, at that moment, a blue blaster bolt struck the side of his helmet. It passed clean through his head, causing him to jerk violently. His fingers tightened around Rex’s shoulders for a split second. Then, without even making a sound, he dropped to the ground.

Rex didn’t need to check for a pulse or even reach out in the Force to know that he was very, _very_ dead.

Rage. Pure, intense rage coursed through Rex.

Without thinking, he drew his pistols once more and charged ahead, determined to make the Umbarans pay for what they’d done.

Firing ahead into the gloom, he ran with reckless abandon. He still felt in the Force whenever his shots hit home, signifying the death of an enemy combatant by his own hand, but there was something . . . strange about it this time. It felt like a loss. A personal loss. He wasn’t sure if his feelings over Drayk’s death were affecting his Force sensitivity, but something was certainly different.

Still, he kept advancing and kept firing.

“Captain,” Tup’s voice came in over the commlink, “where are you? We’re sustaining heavy casualties!”

Rex paused to take cover against another tree as a mortar round smashed into the ground ahead of him, obliterating several men and sending dirt and debris spraying for meters in every direction. They were in deep trouble, he knew that. They all knew that. But they still had to push on. Still had to destroy the enemy. Those were their orders. They’d disobeyed too many of those already.

They couldn’t –

_Wait . . ._

Something on the other side of the tree caught Rex’s eye and he paused. Looking closer, he saw a pair of dead troopers draped over one another in a small covered area just to his left; one with blue paint on his armor, the other with orange paint. No. Only one clone.

_Mortis_

_Umbarans._

_They’re Umbarans, remember? Not clones._

_Remember Mortis._

Then why had they gotten so close to each other?

Unable to shake the feeling of doubt and unease that had suddenly washed over him again in full force, Rex holstered his pistols and approached the two corpses. As he neared, he found that he actually recognized the orange armor markings of the dead body that lay beneath the fallen 501st member. The armor belonged to Eyeball. Either the Umbarans had been very specific or something was very wrong here.

Slowly, Rex reached down and dragged the 501st clone off of the other body and noticed that the imposter’s helmet was slightly askew, revealing a distinctly non-Umbaran chin.

_No._

_No way . . ._

It couldn’t be true. That was impossible.

He had to know. Had to know for sure.

Horror and dread mounting within his chest, Rex gripped the sides of the imposter’s helmet and pulled, revealing a face that Rex knew all too well.

His own.

“What?” he gasped, dropping the helmet and taking a horrified step back.

If . . . If that was really Eyeball, then . . .

Then they were all shooting at their _brothers_.

Turning on his heel, Rex bolted back into the battle, headed right for the front lines. He had to tell them. They had to stop this.

“Everyone,” he shouted, as loud as he possibly could, “stop firing!” He was waving his arms like a crazy man, desperate to get someone’s – _anyone’s_ – attention. “We’re shooting at our own men! They’re not Umbarans. They’re clones!”

Slowly, his words seemed to filter through his men’s consciousness. He passed Kano’s and Vaughn’s squads, both of whom slowly lowered their weapons and stared back at him. He could feel their shock, their disbelief, their confusion.

“Take off your helmets,” he ordered, still running ahead because the 212th boys were still firing, unaware that every second they were shooting they were risking killing one of their brothers. “Show them you’re not the enemy!”

Running into the middle of the battlefront, Rex ripped off his own helmet and tossed it aside. “They’re clones!” he bellowed. “Everyone stop firing. Cease fire! They’re not Umbarans. They’re clones!”

He was at the front lines now, running toward the 212th. One of the men – Sketch – turned his blaster on Rex and was about to fire, but he seemed to recognize his face.

“What the –”

Rex closed the distance between them and tackled the clone to the ground. Tearing off Sketch’s helmet, he lifted him back up once more and held him in front of his own body like a human shield, showing both their faces to every man around them.

“Look!” he shouted. “We’re clones. We’re all clones!”

It was suddenly so silent.

_We’re all clones._

_How many did we kill?_

_How many did_ I _kill?_

Who _did I kill?_

Slowly, the men on both sides lowered their weapons. Removing their helmets, they walked toward one another, realizing what had happened. What they’d all just done.

Rex released Sketch, who gasped and fell to the ground, forced onto his hands and knees by the realization and the horror of the whole thing. Rex, too, sunk to his knees, bringing up his hands and pressing them against the sides of his head.

If there was anything worse than those nightmares they all had but never mentioned, _this_ was it.

* * *

The battle was over. Now they had to figure out what to do now.

The medics were at overstretch, and it had prevented him from getting to Attie for longer than he would’ve liked. Coric had already lost Edge, who had been teetering between life and death for the past twenty minutes after being caught in a mortar blast.

Attie coughed wetly. “How’s it looking – doc?” The clone had two blaster bolts through his abdomen; things weren’t looking good.

Coric shook his head. “Don’t speak,” he said. “Just save your energy.”

Del, Zeer, Nax, and Ridge were all crowded around, looking down at their wounded friend, all in various states of stress.

Attie chuckled, then broke off into another fit of coughs. “You know – what’s funny?” he said. “After all this time . . . it wasn’t even a _droid_ that finally hit me. No tinny could do it. It had to be a clone.”

None of them knew who fired the shots. No one wanted to.

“That’s not funny,” Del muttered. “That’s not funny at all.”

“Sergeant, can you save him?” demanded Nax, who was kneeling beside Attie with his hand on his shoulder.

Coric bit his lip. He . . . didn’t think so. Both shots had hit in less-than-ideal places; the first had passed through the center of his body, putting a hole through his aorta, and the second had gone through his right lung. Attie wasn’t long for this world.

“No,” he said, sitting back. “I’m sorry.”

Zeer gritted his teeth and punched the tree Attie was leaning against. Del bowed his head and stared at the ground. Ridge let out a long sigh. Nax moved his hand to Attie’s forehead, his shoulders sagging.

Attie coughed again, looking up at everyone. “Agh – don’t look so – don’t look so down,” he spluttered, spasming a bit. “This isn’t – isn’t as bad as it could’ve been. You’re all here – aren’t you? It’s – It’s better to go surrounded by brothers than – alone.”

He had a point there.

“I’m sorry,” Coric repeated, placing a hand on the dying man’s knee. “I . . . I wish I could’ve gotten here sooner.”

“Don’t blame yourself – Coric,” Attie said, trying to smile as blood trickled out of the corner of his mouth. “You had – others – to attend to. I know how it goes. Just . . .” He took in another breath and his throat rattled. “Just – tell Tann – I’m sorry.”

“Oh, shit,” Nax said, running a hand down his face. “I didn’t even – Attie? Attie!” He shook the other clone by the shoulder, but there was no response. Attie wasn’t moving, and his eyes were blank and staring up into space.

He was dead.

Coric, Rex, Attie, Nax, Del, and Zeer. They were all that was left of the original 501st. Around since Geonosis, as Ridge had only joined just before Christophsis. And now Attie was gone.

“He’s gone,” Zeer muttered, shaking his head.

“After Teth . . . I thought we’d all make it to the end of the war,” Ridge admitted. “I never thought . . .”

They lapsed into silence.

What else was there to say?

“This can’t be happening,” said Tup, who had been watching the whole exchange. The poor kid was sitting on a root nearby, his head in his hands. He glanced up and looked around, his eyes wide. “What have we done?”

“I . . . don’t understand,” said Dogma, who stood nearby, his helmet under one arm. He turned toward Rex, who was just standing up from closing the eyes of a dead Punch. “Why did these troopers attack us?”

“Captain!” shouted Kix, running over and looking slightly out of breath. “I’ve found the platoon leader. “It’s . . . Waxer. He’s still alive.”

_He’s still alive._

_Oh no . . ._

The way Kix said ‘he’s still alive’ made it sound as though that were only a temporary state of existence. Waxer, too, was dying.

Coric glanced over at Del and his squad. “Do you . . . still need me?” he asked. He wanted to see the exchange.

Del shook his head. “No,” he said. “We can take care of him from here.”

Nodding, Coric closed his first aid kit and stood, turning away from Attie and the others, he jogging along behind Rex and Dogma as they followed Kix deeper into the battlefield that was still strewn with dead and injured clones slowly being led – or carried – away by their uninjured brothers.

They found Waxer lying against another tree in the middle of the field; where the fighting had been the thickest. His helmet was still on and there was a blaster bolt mark in his chest. Trapper was crouched next to him, attempting to comfort the dying man. He stood up as the men from the 501st approached.

Coric, Kix, and Dogma stood behind as Rex crouched down in front of him.

“Waxer,” he said gently, reaching out and lifting his helmet off of his head. Rex placed his hands on his shoulders. “Tell me who gave you the orders to attack us.”

Waxer struggled with breathing for several moments. He was _not_ in good condition. He was going to die any second now.

“It . . . It was General Krell,” he gasped, clutching one of Rex’s arms. Beside him, Coric saw Dogma’s head jerk away, as though he couldn’t believe what Waxer was saying. Rex’s head leaned in, and Coric knew he was furious. But Waxer wasn’t done. “He sent us to these coordinates to stop the enemy . . . We thought – they were wearing our armor . . . But – it was . . . you . . .”

And he went limp, a single tear falling from one eye.

Krell.

Krell had given the orders to both the 501st and 212th and pitted them against one another. On purpose.

What did that mean?

Surely his command was compromised. Surely there was something going wrong here.

Rex was silent for several moments. Then, slowly, he stood. Turning, he began walking back toward where the majority of the clones from both battalions were mingling. He glanced back.

“Gather all the men,” he ordered, cold fury tinting every word. “There’s something we need to discuss.”

* * *

Rex paced before the survivors. Men from both the 501st and 212th. He was so angry – so enraged – that he could barely speak. But he had to. Someone had to take control when there was no one else left. And it had to be him.

“We all know who’s responsible for what happened out there,” he said. His voice was barely louder than a whisper, but he was sure they could all hear him. It was dead silent in the little clearing they’d gathered in. “What we don’t know is why. Something has to be done.” He paused. “What I’m proposing is highly treasonous. If any man chooses to opt-out, do it now.”

The clearing was silent.

As one unit, every single man took a step forward, standing at perfect attention. They were all looking to him for leadership. If the circumstances weren’t so dire, so grim, Rex would’ve taken it as the highest compliment.

“From this point forward,” he warned, “we are entering uncharted territory. My orders are: we arrest General Krell for treason against the Republic.”

Nothing like this had _ever_ happened before.

Clones had no authority over the Jedi, only the opposite. There was no precedent for any Jedi betraying the Republic in the field. There was no protocol to follow. No rules or regulations. No procedure.

All Rex could go off of was his gut feeling. His instincts.

They were telling him that this was all wrong. Brother had been tricked into killing brother. Someone needed to pay.

And that person was going to be General Pong Krell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Black Tower - Halo 3 Soundtrack
> 
> "In death's dream kingdom/ These do not appear:/ There, the eyes are/ Sunlight on a broken column"
> 
> The moment you've all been waiting for and dreading


	39. Nightfall

**Republic-held airbase, Umbara**

The clones put their plan into action the moment they returned to the airbase.

Rex marched at the head of a sizable group of men from both the 501st and 212th that had agreed to take part. They were headed toward the main spire, where Krell was. Other sections were busy securing the aircraft and the perimeter, just in case things went awry. They’d also freed the wrongfully imprisoned Fives and Jesse and recruited them into their plan. One way or another, this was going to end.

Rex had been betrayed before.

_Slick._

But he’d never been betrayed by a Jedi.

It was almost – _almost_ – worse than one of his brothers being at fault. The Jedi were supposed to be the good guys. Always. What the hell had happened to bring them to this point? What was going on? Rex aimed to find out. He was going to channel his rage into something productive: putting a stop to this mess. A lot of good men had died over the last few hours, and they had died for nothing. Hell, if Rex counted all the times over the last few days when Krell’s ‘reckless’ plans had resulted in high casualties, then that number skyrocketed to something even _more_ unforgivable.

No more.

Rex placed his helmet onto his head and led the men through the spire and onto the lift.

It was quiet. No one said a word. Not on the walk there. Not on the ride up the lift. They all knew what they were about to do; how much danger they all were about to be in both physically and politically once this was all over. What was everyone thinking? Were there any doubts? Any private misconceptions? Perhaps. But no one gave voice to them.

Not a word.

And then the doors to the command center opened, and the clones streamed out, blasters raised and ready to fire.

Krell stood in front of the window, staring down at the base below. Had he been watching the commotion? Did it matter? He didn’t look up, didn’t turn around even as he was surrounded by blue and orange. Rex walked out last.

“General Krell,” he said in his command tone, “you’re being relieved of duty.”

Krell, barely even looking surprised, turned to face him, all for of his arms clasped behind his back.

“It’s treason, then,” he said, actually smirking.

_We are not traitors. It’s you._

Rex drew his DC-17s and leveled them at Krell’s chest. “Surrender, General,” he repeated. He didn’t really expect him to go quietly, but it was still worth a shot. If they could end this without anymore lives lost, that would be ideal.

Krell walked forward, stepping into the exact center of the room, calm as possible. Every man in the room had the barrel of his blaster glued to the traitorous Jedi, ready to fire. Yet Krell seemed totally at ease.

“You’re committing mutiny, Captain,” Krell said, his voice almost teasing. His eyes never left Rex.

“Explain your actions,” Rex commanded.

The men shifted positions, closing the circle around Krell.

“ _My_ actions?” Krell asked, glancing behind him.

“For ordering your troops against one another!”

“Oh. That,” Krell said, as if only just remembering. “I’m surprised you were able to figure it out . . . for a clone.”

On Rex’s left, Fives gave the ‘move up’ signal. The circle tightened in on Krell; the clones had him on all sides.

“Surrender, General,” Rex said. “You’re outnumbered.”

In the time it took to blink, Krell exploded into movement. He leaned forward and reached out with all four of his arms, sending out an immense wave of Force energy that sent every man in the room flying backward at top speed.

One second, Rex’s boots were on the floor, the next, his back hit the wall beside the entrance to the lift and he slumped to the ground, dropping his pistols in surprise and pain.

“You dare to attack a Jedi?” Krell boomed.

Despite feeling like he’d been run over by a speeder, Rex pushed himself up onto his hands and knees and looked up. The Besalisk had drawn his two double-sided lightsabers and dropped into an attack pose. Things were going to get ugly.

Chaos ensued. As the clones got to their feet, they all opened fire on Krell.

Rex had never seen him fight in open combat before, and he had to say: he was good. Krell was a blur, spinning both his body and his blades to dodge and deflect the fire that was coming in at him from all sides. Despite his size, he was an agile creature.

He lunged forward, simultaneously slicing one man’s torso nearly in two while putting his other blade straight through another’s chest. Then he spun slightly, bringing both weapons up and dealing mortal blows to another pair of clones unlucky enough to be standing nearby. One clone from the 212th ran right towards Krell – possibly gripped by some momentary madness – and was instantly sliced apart. Krell brought up one foot and kicked the still-standing corpse, hurling it right at Rex. He only just had time to sidestep the flying body before Krell was right in front of him.

But he did not attack.

“I will _not_ be undermined by creatures bred in some laboratory!” Krell said, his voice low. Then, he turned on his heel and leapt toward the window on the opposite side of the room, spinning his lightsabers and breaking clean through the transparasteel.

As one, Rex, Fives, and Jesse bolted for the now-broken window. Peering through it, they saw Krell hit the ground far below; completely fine. It only took a moment for the troopers down there to open fire on the rogue Jedi. But Krell met them just as he had met the men in the command center; with his lightsabers.

“We need to get down there,” Jesse said.

“Get back to the lift!” Rex ordered, spinning around and bolting for the other side of the room.

They and the few remaining men crowded into the lift and Rex punched the controls. The doors slid shut behind them and he felt the platform beneath their feet start to descend. Whatever was going on down on the ground, Krell had a huge head start on them. No doubt there was going to be a lot more mess to clean up.

After what felt like an eternity, the lift doors opened, and together the clones raced out into open air once more. The scene in front of them was grizzly. A few able-bodied clones milled about, dragging away corpses and helping the wounded, of which there were many. Scorch marks dotted the ground and several Umbaran starfighters that were parked nearby.

There was no sign of Krell at all.

Everyone pulled up short when a long figure appeared from behind one of the starfighters and leveled a blaster directly at Rex.

“Hold it right there,” ordered Dogma, his mouth a frown and his eyes narrowed.

Instantly, they were in a standoff. Rex and the men around him all raised their weapons and pointed them at Dogma.

_What the hell is he doing?_

“Lower your weapon, Dogma,” Rex said, attempting to sound as calm as possible. There was no telling what might set him off.

“I . . . I can’t do that, sir,” the young clone maintained, even as Mixer and Fyn flanked him.

“That’s an order!” Rex barked. He didn’t have time for this. Every second they wasted here gave Krell more of an opportunity to escape or prepare some sort of counter-attack.

“It’s my duty,” Dogma said, waving his blaster around, first aiming at Denal, then Jesse, then Rex. “You’re all traitors!”

Rex holstered one of his pistols with his left hand, then reached up and removed his helmet.

He sighed. “I used to believe that being a good soldier meant doing everything they told you,” he said, meeting Dogma’s erratic gaze. “That’s how they engineered us. But we’re not droids. We’re _not_ programmed. You have to learn to make your own decisions.”

Cut, Fox, Bly, Ordo, the Nulls, Fives. Even Skywalker. If there was one thing Rex had learned over the years, it was that the regulations and command structures weren’t always the end-all-be-all when it came to life. Sometimes, there were things that just couldn’t be accounted for in a rule book.

It was always just a little more complicated than that.

Was he getting through?

Looking cornered, Dogma swung around and trained his blaster on Tup, who had just appeared – helmetless – and had his own weapon ready to fire.

“Dogma, don’t do it,” the kid warned, shaking his head.

That seemed to be the straw that broke the Bantha’s back. Deflating, Dogma lowered his carbine, looking defeated. Instantly, Mixer and Fyn moved in, tackling the clone to the ground and jerking his hands behind his back. He was caught.

“Take him to the brig,” Rex ordered. He didn’t believe that Dogma would try to betray them again, but he just couldn’t take that chance right now. There were bigger issues to deal with.

He sprinted forward. “Troopers,” he called out, beckoning his men forward, “don’t let General Krell escape.”

* * *

Once more equipped with night vision gear, Rex and the men of the 501st and 212th had fanned out in the surrounding wilderness. They’d divided up the area and spread out into several different platoons, combing over the forest meter by meter. Krell was _not_ getting away.

Unless he already had.

They’d been searching for ten minutes now without any significant result.

“I don’t like this,” Appo muttered, glancing around. “It’s too quiet.”

“I figure that’s better than blasters blazing,” Fives reasoned. “At least for now.”

“Keep the chatter to a minimum,” Del said. “We don’t want to draw any unnecessary attention. We’re still on an enemy planet, remember?”

Rex raised his wristcomm and keyed an open channel. “Anybody got anything?”

“Er, negative, Captain,” answered Ven. “We lost him.”

Rex pulled up short and cursed inwardly. They’d let him escape. Now what? If he got away, there was no telling what kind of havoc Krell could wreak on them and the Republic at large if he managed to get off-world. A rogue Jedi was a dangerous thing.

“Wait –” There was the sound of a lightsaber whirring on the other end of the link, followed by blaster fire and screams of distress. “He’s too – powerful. Hurry!” The line cut out.

Without the noises from the commlink messing with Rex’s sense of direction, he instantly pinpointed the noises of blaster fire and screaming from somewhere off to his group’s left. Glancing over, he saw that, in the distance, he could make out the flashes of light from both blaster fire and a pair of double-bladed lightsabers glowing brightly in the natural darkness of the planet.

Without a word, everyone got into a ready position. Fives knelt to the ground and put a hand to his night vision gear, most likely activating the built-in telescopic feature. Within only a second or two, glanced over at Rex.

“He’s coming,” he reported.

That almost certainly meant that Ven and his group had been completely wiped out. Just a few more names to add to the carnage Krell had caused.

Wordlessly, all the men got into position and waited, blasters raised. It was quiet for a few moments, and then a voice came out of the darkness, sounding as though it were echoing all around them.

“You should have listened to the ARC trooper from the beginning, Captain,” Krell taunted, letting out a series of cackles.

There was no need to remind Rex of that particular mistake. How many men had died because Rex was too blind to authority that he couldn’t even consider the possibility that their general was leading them astray on purpose?

“He was right,” Krell continued, his voice sounding like it was coming from several directions at once. “I _was_ using you.” At that moment, Krell appeared from above and dove into a tightly packed group of troopers, sending all of them flying. He raised his lightsabers and stared around as all the clones turned to face him. “You’ve _all_ been my pawns.”

Blind rage fueled Rex. “Get him!” he bellowed.

Everyone opened fire, but Krell was too good for them. He was a blur of motion and death, deflecting blaster fire effortlessly and moving around the area, cutting down men left and right. Still, they had to keep it up. All it would take was one well-placed shot. One opening. And it would all be over.

Krell flipped into the air, deactivating his weapons and engaging a nearby squad in hand to hand combat. He punched Nax in the chest, sending him flying back into a nearby tree with enough force that Rex heard the air leave his lungs as he was winded. He grabbed Boro by the legs and head and raised him high into the air as he yelled out in fear. Then, Krell brought him down, smashing his back against his raised knee.

Rex heard his spine snap from several meters away.

Tossing Boro’s lifeless body aside, he spun and sent a punch at Toomer that carried enough weight to send him flying into another tree as the young clone charged at him before grabbing Tup by the shoulders and launching him like a shotput into the air. Poor Tup sailed out of view, flailing in an almost comical manner. Krell leveled Gunner by sending his shoulder into the trooper’s chestplate before jumping over the man’s stirring form and drawing his lightsabers once more. This time he held a defensive position, staying stationary while twirling his double-sided blades to keep any bolts from reaching him.

Rex was starting to doubt they’d actually be able to finish him.

“Captain Rex,” said a voice over the commlink, “this is Tup. If you can, force the General towards me.”

Rex jerked paused in firing and jerked aside to avoid being hit by Rook as the other clone was sent flying by a Force-push. Ducking, Rex raised his wristcomm to his mouth. “What?” he asked, confident that he’d misheard Tup. “Why?”

He’d just gone toe-to-toe with Krell and had been lucky to still be alive. Why would he want to give it another go?

“Trust me, sir,” Tup maintained.

Krell was cutting through them at an alarming rate. Sooner or later, there wouldn’t be any men left to stop him. If there was a time for a hair-brained scheme, this was it.

Rex switched channels. “Troopers, listen up. Circle around. Lure him towards Tup.”

Instantly, the blaster fire stopped.

What remained of the platoon picked themselves up off the ground and ran off toward the direction Tup had been thrown in just a few seconds prior. Sure enough, Rex spotted the kid making his way across a small field, taking care where he was placing his feet as he moved into what seemed to be a totally open position.

_Whatever this is, it’d better work._

Glancing behind him, he saw that Krell, still laughing, was right on their tail. Obviously, he seemed to think they were running because they thought they’d lost. That they were in trouble. Honestly, they really were. Hopefully, that would make the Besalisk overconfident.

A blaster went off and Krell instantly stopped, pausing to turn towards Tup and deflect the rounds that the clone had just sent at him.

“Hey, ugly!” Tup shouted, waving his arms. “Come and get me!”

_He’s going to get himself killed._

Rex could do little but watch as Krell, snarling, changed targets and began sprinting full tilt towards the lone Tup, who simply lowered his DC-15 and stood there, waiting. What was the point of this? What was he thinking?

When Krell was only inches away from Tup, lightsabers raised to deliver a swift killing blow, Tup’s plan came to life. He’d lured Krell into tripping over one of the tentacles of those strange flesh-eating creatures that lay in wait all over the planet. It immediately grabbed the traitorous Jedi and lifted him up into the air as if he were nothing other than a toy.

This was their chance.

“Move in!” Rex ordered, signaling to the men.

They closed in on Tup and the now helpless Krell, aiming their blasters upward to fire at him as he swung listlessly from side to side. Except it turned out that Krell wasn’t actually helpless.

Despite being upended, he still managed to hang onto his blue lightsaber. He swung it this way and that, deflecting blaster fire and managing to cut off the clawed hand of the creature as it grasped up at him. He used the Force to knock one trooper back before decapitating another that got too close as he was thrown wildly about. Then, Krell sliced through the tentacle that was holding onto his leg, causing the creature to let out an agonized screech as he fell to the ground and landed flat on his back. The clones closed in and Fives put several rounds into the creature’s center, killing it. By the time Krell pushed himself up into a sitting position, Tup had readied his blaster.

At point-blank range, he shot a blue ring into the Besalisk’s chest, causing him to gasp and fall back into the dirt on his side.

Rex approached, still clutching one of his pistols. Just in case.

“I stunned him, sir,” Tup reported, his blaster still trained on Krell’s unmoving form.

Using one foot, Rex pushed Krell onto his back. No response.

“Nice work, Tup,” he said, glancing over at the young clone as Fives and a few other men joined them.

Appo knelt down and set about placing binders onto both of Krell’s sets of arms.

It was over.

* * *

An hour or so later, Rex, Jesse, Fives, and Tup took the lift down into the brig. In the cell that previously housed Fives and Jesse, Krell now sat. His legs were crossed beneath him and all four of his hands were bound behind his back. An energy wall now separated him from the clones. He could do no harm for the time being.

Rex glanced over at Dogma, who occupied a cell right next to Krell. The other clone looked uncertainly out at him, his hands still bound in front of him. Rex wouldn’t be letting him out just yet. He had information to retrieve first.

Setting his jaw, he stepped toward Krell.

“Why, General?” Rex asked, flinching at his reflex to address Krell by his title. As far as he was concerned, the Besalisk was no longer in charge here. But he was still a Jedi. And that was a problem. “Why kill your own men?”

Krell chuckled as he got to his feet. “Because I can,” he said, meeting Rex’s gaze. There was no remorse in his eyes. No sense that what he had done was wrong. There was nothing more dangerous than that. “Because you fell for it. Because you’re inferior.”

“But you’re a _Jedi_ ,” Rex said. “How could you?” It was rocking his world. And he was sure it was rocking the world of every man who’d witnessed what had happened.

The Jedi were not invincible, Rex knew that even if not every clone thought the same. But he’d still thought them to be . . . infallible. Incorruptible.

What the hell was _this_?

“A Jedi?” Krell said, raising an eyebrow and chuckling once more. “I am no longer naïve enough to be a Jedi. A new power is rising. I’ve foreseen it. The Jedi are going to lose this war, and the Republic will be ripped apart from the inside. In its place is going to rise a new order, and I will rule as part of it.”

Naïve? New power? Foreseen? The Republic ripped apart from the inside?

It couldn’t be true. That just _couldn’t_ be true.

He didn’t know much about Force-visions, but from what little he’d picked up from Ahsoka and Skywalker, they weren’t always totally accurate. What was it Ahsoka had said?

_The future is always in motion. And there’s a lot of different possible futures._

If only she was here right now. Rex could certainly use her help. And he missed her.

Krell had to be lying. There’s no way this was the truth. Or maybe what he’d seen was wrong and he’d been led astray.

“You’re a Separatist,” Rex snarled, narrowing his eyes.

“I serve no one’s side,” Krell said dismissively, “only my own. And soon, my new master.”

“You’re an agent of Dooku.”

“Not yet,” Krell said, grinning wolfishly. “But when I get out of here, I will be. After I’ve succeeded in driving the Republic from Umbara, the Count will reward my actions. And make me his new apprentice.”

“How could you do this?” Dogma demanded, drawing everyone’s attention by pressing against the side of his own cell to look at Krell. “You had my trust, my loyalty. I followed all of your orders, and you made me kill my brothers!”

That was going to be the hard pill to swallow. All of them – save perhaps Fives – had trusted Krell to some degree during his time as their general. They’d all ignored the warning because he was in charge. Because he was the general and they were the infantry. Because he was a Jedi and the Jedi were their leaders no matter what.

And because of that – because of their blind obedience and unquestioning loyalty – a lot of good men had died for nothing.

What were they going to do with that?

Krell burst into maniacal laughter. “That’s because you were the biggest fool of them all, Dogma,” he taunted, leaning over to meet the clone’s gaze. “I counted on blind loyalty like yours to make my plan succeed!”

“That will never happen,” Rex said. “You’re a traitor, General, and you will be dealt with as one.”

“You never learn, Captain,” said Krell shaking his head and stepping back. “The Umbarans are going to retake this space, and when they do, I will be free.” He sat back down, resuming his meditative pose.

The conversation was over.

Angrier then when he’d entered the brig, Rex turned on his heel and marched away from Krell. Tup tapped the controls for a few moments, and then they were rising back upward once more. He needed time to think. There had to be a way to keep things under control. To do the right thing. To find a solution.

He just needed time.

But time was not on his side, as it turned out.

As he, Fives, Jesse, and Tup left the detention building, Appo met them, his helmet under one arm.

“Captain, we’ve repaired the transmitter,” he reported. “It looks like it was sabotaged. We received a message from General Kenobi. His forces have captured the capital, but the remaining Umbarans are headed here.”

_Damn it. One step forward and two steps back._

“Get everyone on the perimeter,” Rex ordered. “We need to prepare for a full-scale attack.

“Yes, sir,” Appo saluted and ran off.

Rex sighed. “Krell sabotaged the transmitter,” he said. “He’s been against us from the beginning.” He turned back toward the other men.

“If the Umbarans get to him, he’ll turn over all our intel,” Fives said, actually looking nervous. “The defense codes, _everything_. He’ll strike a crippling blow to the Republic.”

“Something has to be done,” Jesse said. “We can’t risk the possibility that he might escape.”

“As long as Krell’s alive, he is a threat to every one of us,” Tup agreed.

Everyone looked at him. He knew what they were suggesting.

And they were waiting for him to make the call.

“I . . . agree.”

Krell needed to be silenced. If there was even the smallest chance that they’d lose the fight and he’d get free, then they needed to take action. And after everything he’d done – all he’d put Rex and his brothers through – he deserved to die.

Jedi or not.

Rex led the way back into the building, back into the lift. Tup left to go secure the perimeter, while Fives and Jesse remained with Rex. They were going to see this through to the end together.

Jesse activated the controls on the lift and they once again descended down toward Krell’s cell. They arrived within seconds. 

Wordlessly, Fives stepped over toward Dogma’s cell. He reached out and deactivated the energy field before taking the captive clone by the arm and leading him out onto the main lift. In a few moments, there would be no worry about him betraying them to Krell.

Rex, meanwhile, stepped forward and drew one of his sidearms, holding it at the ready as he approached Krell’s cell.

“Turn around,” Rex ordered, his voice all cold steel. “Step toward the wall.”

Unperturbed, Krell rolled his eyes, shooting Rex a contemptuous look before pivoting and stepping toward the back of the cell.

Rex clasped his DC-17 with both hands. “On your knees.”

There was a small ‘beep’ from behind him as Jesse fiddled with the controls once more. The barrier between Rex and Krell disappeared. They were inches from one another, separated only by air.

Krell chuckled. “You’re in a position of power now,” he said, his voice low as he glanced back at Rex. “How does it feel?”

Rex bared his teeth. He wasn’t here to be toyed with.

“I _said_ : ‘on. Your. Knees,’” he repeated, leveling the pistol at Krell’s back when he refused to comply.

There was a pause.

Then, Krell lowered himself onto the ground, his back still to Rex. “It feels good, doesn’t it?” Krell said. “But _I_ can sense your fear. You’re shaking. Aren’t you?”

And – _blast him –_ he was right.

Rex’s arm shook as he struggled to do what he knew _had_ to be done. He needed to kill Krell. Right here, right now. Before things got any more out of hand. It was the right thing to do. It was.

Wasn’t it?

“What are you waiting for?” Krell demanded, glancing back again. “The Umbarans are getting closer.”

He wasn’t going to play this game.

“I-I _have_ to do this,” Rex said aloud, trying to convince himself more than anyone. He was in charge. He’d made the call. It had to be him, no matter what punishment he might be given later for executing a Jedi, traitor or not.

But . . . what would he be losing?

What would happen if he was court-martialed? Removed from command? Terminated?

Who would lead the 501st in his absence? Drayk was gone. Someone else would have to be given a hefty promotion. Would they be any good? And he’d lose everything. His men, his life, his friends, Skywalker. Ahsoka.

_Ahsoka._

Could he really decide to potentially give all of that up?

He had to.

_I_ have _to!_

“You can’t do it, can you?” Krell taunted. He shook his head knowingly. “Eventually, you’ll have to do the right thing and –”

_Bam!_

The blaster bolt pierced clean through the center of Krell’s back and hit the wall in front of him. Krell stiffened and gasped before slowly slumping forward against the rear of the cell. He was dead.

Shocked, Rex glanced behind him. _He_ hadn’t pulled the trigger. He hadn’t managed it.

No.

It had been Dogma.

Fives was grabbing at his own holster in surprise, only to realize that Dogma had snatched one of his DC-17s and – his hands still held together by binders – had used it to put a round through Krell’s back.

Dogma gasped, breaking the tense silence that had filled the room. “I . . . I had to,” he said, deflating and shaking his head as Fives gently relieved him of his stolen weapon. “He betrayed us.”

Rex looked back at the corpse that now lay on the floor of Krell’s cell. He resisted the urge to spit on it.

Maybe that was the Jango coming out in him.

Krell was dead. But this wasn’t over. There was a whole mess topside to clean up. Lots of bodies. Troopers needed to be promoted to take over the spots left by all those dead men. They’d need a new batch of shinies to compensate for all the casualties they’d incurred. Both the men of the 501st and the 212th were going to need some time away from combat to recover from something like this.

And, of course, there might just be hell to pay when the Senate and the Jedi Council discovered that clone troopers had taken matters into their own hands and had executed a Jedi Master.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nightfall - Halo: Reach Soundtrack
> 
> And that . . . is that. Technically. There's plenty of aftermath to deal with.
> 
> I'd like to toot my own horn and point out that sections of Rex's prose at the beginning of the chapter directly mirrors the monologue given by an unknown trooper during the Knightfall mission of the original Battlefront 2 campaign. Thought it'd tie things together nicely


	40. This Night Has Opened My Eyes

**Delta-7 Interceptor, Umbara**

The cockpit of Ahsoka’s Delta-7 slid open and she hopped out, her boots clacking against the ground of the Republic-held airbase below. It was just like the reports said: Umbara really was covered in darkness all the time.

She looked around and nearly lost her balance.

“Oh my –”

There was carnage everywhere. White armored bodies were lined up in rows on the ground; some filled with blaster marks, others missing limbs, others still barely recognizable as bodies at all. Men from both the 501st and 212th raced this way and that, dragging wounded men along with them, carrying medical supplies, and running patrols. She was dimly aware of troopers shouting things to one another, but she was too shocked to focus on anything that was being said.

What had happened here?

What had she missed?

A few meters away from her interceptor, a gunship set down. After a moment, the bay doors slid open, and out stepped Commander Bly, Lieutenant Barr, and several other men. Upon looking around, they all pulled up short as well.

“Holy shit . . .” Barr muttered.

“Looks like we missed one hell of a fight,” remarked Inc, shaking his head.

“Commander,” said a voice. “Commander!”

Ahsoka jerked her head towards the voice and saw Coric making his way toward her, brushing past troopers and stepping over corpses and wounded men alike. He looked exhausted.

“Coric!” Ahsoka turned toward him, her mouth half open and her arms spread, gesturing at the grizzly scene around them. “What’s going on? What happened?”

“I don’t have time to explain,” Coric said, waving her off. “I need your help; the medics are at overstretch and I need Jedi assistance.”

Ahsoka balked, questions racing through her mind. “Where’re the others?” she demanded. “Why do you need my help? Where’s Master Krell? Where’re the other medics?”

“Kix is busy with some of our more critical cases.”

“Boro?”

Coric stared at her. “Boro’s dead.” And he turned and walked off. “Come on!”

Ahsoka’s mouth had fallen open. Clone medics were usually kept away from the thickest of the fighting if it could be helped in order to keep them as safe as they could. Had things really been that bad? And why wasn’t Coric answering all her questions?

She wasn’t going to find out just by standing around.

Ahsoka rounded on Bly and the others. “Find Rex,” she ordered. “Or Drayk or Krell or Fives or whoever the hell's in charge around here. Find out what’s going on. I’m going to follow Coric.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Bly said, saluting.

Ahsoka spun back around and jogged after Coric, who had crouched down next to one of the wounded and was tending to him. As she approached, she recognized the injured man as Wooley from the 212th. Come to that, why were men of the 501st and 212th at the same base? She had thought Obi-Wan’s assault of the capital had been mostly a solo affair.

“What’s – the situation, sir?” Wooley asked, his voice strained as he clutched at the left side of his torso, which sported a nasty blaster mark.

“You’re lucky,” Coric said, placing one hand on Wooley’s shoulder. “Bolt went clean through you. Only thing you’ll be missing is your spleen.”

“Oh,” Wooley coughed, rolling his eyes. “ _Just_ my spleen? Well – that’s alright then.”

“Just take it easy on your liver from now on,” Coric told him as Ahsoka knelt down on Wooley’s other side. “It’ll take over most of the spleen’s functions as long as you don’t ruin it with alcohol.”

“Nothing – like friendly fire to take the – fun out of life.”

_What did he just say?_

“Friendly fire?” Ahsoka repeated, her mind struggling under the weight of all the unanswered questions she was building up. “Wooley, how did you get wounded?”

Wooley, his expression turning from strained and annoyed to confused, looked up at Ahsoka. His eyes met hers and he seemed to be searching for something for several moments. Then, he glanced over at Coric.

“She – doesn’t know?” he asked.

“Doesn’t know _what_?”

Coric grimaced. “Er, no,” he said. “She doesn’t yet. I think . . . I think Rex should be the one to tell her.”

Ahsoka shot to her feet. “Then let’s go find him!” she said. “Where is he?”

This was driving her mad. What were they keeping from her? What had gone wrong in just the few days that both she and Anakin had been busy elsewhere?

Coric, still kneeling next to Wooley, held up his hands. “Ma’am, wait. I need –”

“Coric!” Ahsoka cut him off. “Anakin is gone and that means I’m in charge. I haven’t been around this entire campaign, I don’t receive any comms from you guys for the entire trip, Denal sends a quick message only to tell me that Fives and Jesse might be executed, and now I get here and it looks like a kriffing _massacre_ took place! I _need_ to speak with Rex.”

Coric looked up at her in silence for several seconds. His eyes narrowed, as though he were sizing her up. Then, he spoke. Slowly. As though he were calming a wild animal.

“Commander,” he said, his hands raised in a gesture that read ‘calm-the-fuck-down,’ “I know that this is a lot to take in. And that you’re worried. But I have dozens of wounded men that need to be tended to. I can’t leave them. Things would go a lot quicker if you helped me. After that, I can track down Rex and he can tell you what happened.”

She needed to find Rex. Needed to see that he was alright. “But –”

“You can sense him, can’t you?” Coric asked, raising one eyebrow.

He didn’t just mean ‘you-can-sense-him-because-you’re-a-Jedi,’ he meant ‘you-can-sense-him-because-of-your-Force-Bond.’

And Ahsoka could. She knew he was around, but she’d need to focus in order to actually find him. Which she couldn’t do if she was helping Coric. She could feel Rex’s stress; the tension keeping him wound up tighter than angry Rancor. It was all that was standing between him and a wave of exhaustion so powerful that Ahsoka could feel it eating away at _her_ through their bond.

How the Captain was still standing was beyond her.

“Y-Yes,” Ahsoka said, focusing on Coric. “I can.”

“Then you know he’s fine,” Coric told her. Which wasn’t quite true. Alive and not wounded? Yes. Fine? probably not. “He’ll still be around when the wounded are tended to.”

Ahsoka bit her lip, torn between the desire to help her men and the desire to see Rex. Both equal in their intensity, but both driven by entirely different ‘wants’ within her psyche.

“Please,” Coric maintained. “We need your help.”

Ahsoka closed her eyes and let out a long breath. It seemed that she was always being talked down from acting on her instincts these days.

“Okay,” she said. “I . . . I’m not as good at Force Healing as Barriss, but I’ll do what I can. And I know basic field medicine.” She couldn’t just ignore the men that needed her, even to see Rex. Even if she wanted to put him first, she knew he’d want her to put the men first.

Because – and _only_ because – there was no immediate danger, that’s just what she’d do.

* * *

Rex leaned against a stack of crates, his arms folded over his chest as he watched Dogma being led away in binders.

There would be hell to pay.

He’d killed a Jedi. While the call had been Rex’s, he himself hadn’t actually done any killing. Dogma, on the other hand, had acted out of line in taking matters into his own hands. Even if it was the right thing to do. He’d also attempted to kill Rex – a superior officer – and had raised a weapon against his brothers. Those weren’t charges that were taken lightly. Maybe – if he was lucky – he’d get a light sentence. There was still no doubt in his mind that the poor clone was going to be court-martialed. Given the extraneous circumstances, he probably wouldn’t be terminated. Probably.

But he’d probably be put in the brig for a while at the very least.

Just before Dogma was led away into a waiting gunship by a pair of troopers, he cast one final look back at Rex. He gave him a respectful nod. His eyes were scared but determined. He was a good _vod_ , mistakes or not.

Rex returned the nod, giving what he hoped was a small, reassuring smile.

It was all he could muster at the moment.

And then, the men led Dogma into the gunship.

“General Kenobi’s battalions have routed the last holdouts of Umbarans,” Fives said, approaching from out of nowhere to stand at Rex’s side, “and we’ve secured all sectors. We did it. We took Umbara.”

But at what cost?

Rex looked around at the rest of the airbase. Men carried away on stretchers. Men laid out in rows; wounded, dead, and dying. Men sat on the ground with their heads in their hands, wondering where things had gone wrong, how this had happened to them. They’d been betrayed. The Jedi had killed them. They had killed each other.

The memory of all this wasn’t going to go away anytime soon. Sure, the Republic might be able to keep this under wraps from the public, but the clones that were here would always remember. And they’d probably talk.

Rex shook his head. “What’s the point of all this?” he asked. “I mean . . . why?”

Fives mimicked him. “I dunno, sir,” he admitted, slowly. “I don’t think anybody knows. But I _do_ know that someday, this war is gonna end.”

Maybe that was supposed to be a good thing. Something to look forward to.

But Rex wasn’t quite so sure anymore.

“Then what?” he wondered. “We’re soldiers. What happens to us then?”

In front of them, the doors to the gunship closed, separating Dogma from them. The gunship’s engines kicked up and it took off into the darkened sky, taking him . . . elsewhere.

Fives remained silent. It seemed that he, too, had no answer.

What was going to happen to the clones after the war? They were men born and bred for combat and nothing else. Would they turn into a glorified police force; guarding troubled sectors of the galaxy after they – hopefully – won over the Separatists? Would the clones be forced to stay in the military? Would they get to retire? Choose their own path in life? Would they still work with the Jedi?

Rex wasn’t sure about any of it.

Then, a commotion off to the left caught Rex’s attention. Glancing over, he saw that two clones had gotten into a bit of a scuffle.

“Look, you can’t be over here.”

“Cut the shit, Denal. Where is he? Take me to Waxer!”

“Oh, hell . . .” Fives sighed, shaking his head. “Boil . . .”

Rex had to handle this before it got out of control. Boil had grabbed onto Denal by his chestplate and pulled him in, shaking him as he shouted into his face, his helmet gone. Pushing off of the crates, Rex pivoted and marched toward the two men, pursued by Fives, as well as Tup and Jesse, who had been having a muttered conversation nearby.

“Boil,” Rex said, drawing closer. He didn’t stop. Rex upgraded from a call to a bark. “Lieutenant! Stand down!”

That got both men’s attention. Boil and Denal both paused mid scuffle and glanced over. It seemed to take them both a moment to realize that a ranking officer had appeared on the scene. Still, none of the anger in Boil’s eyes vanished. Instead, it was now directed at Rex.

Releasing Denal, Boil rounded on him. “Where is he, Rex?” he demanded. “Where’s my _ori’vod_?”

“Boil, I need you to calm down,” Rex said, holding up his hands. “I can’t have you manhandling my men.”

“I’ll calm down, alright,” Boil said. “I’ll calm down when you tell me what the fuck happened! Fyn said – he said that you all shot at each other. And Waxer, he – he’s not . . . that can’t be what happened! I want to hear it from you!” And he jammed a finger into Rex’s chestplate.

“Boil,” Rex repeated his name, reaching out and placing his hands on the other clone’s shoulders. It was always hard telling a brother that someone they were close to had been killed in action. This time, it was made infinitely worse by the fact that Waxer had been killed by friendly fire. “I'm sorry. He’s gone. Waxer’s dead.”

The color drained from Boil’s face. Rex still felt his tension through the Force.

“How?”

“It was General Krell,” Rex explained. “He told both the Two-Twelfth and Five-Oh-First that the Umbarans had taken Republic weapons and armor and were disguised as clones. He sent us against each other. There was a fight, and . . .”

“Clones died,” Fives said, glancing at all around them. “A lot of clones died.”

“Where is he?” Boil rasped. “I . . . I want to see him.”

“Follow me,” Jesse offered. “I helped bring the bodies back from the wilderness. I know where he is.”

Jesse led Boil away. Rex glanced over at Fives, Tup, and Denal. Then the four of them followed. As much as Rex didn’t want to be around for the fallout of this, he knew that it was his responsibility to be there. No brother should have to go through something like this alone. They walked past and stepped over the wounded and the dead, making their way towards where the majority of those who had been killed in the friendly fire incident had been taken. As they drew closer, the wounds on the bodies changed from the long black swaths left by a lightsaber to the small, precise scorch marks caused by blaster bolts.

From their own blasters.

Tension flooded Rex’s system and one of his hands tightened into a fist. All this. All this damage. All these men dead. For nothing. It was only a small consolation that Krell was dead now. He hadn’t suffered enough for what he’d done.

But this was as close to justice as they were going to get.

And Rex couldn’t afford to lose it right now. Not in front of his men. Not in front of the 212th. He was in command. He needed to appear to be in control.

“Over here,” Jesse said, his voice solemn.

He was standing over a body that looked no different than any of the others. Waxer, helmetless, lay upon the ground; his eyes closed and his hands folded over his stomach. Were it not for the blaster mark in his chest, he could’ve been asleep. But no.

Boil dropped to his knees next to his brother, his shoulders slumped.

“Oh, god . . .” he muttered, shaking his head. “It’s really – he’s . . .”

“I’m sorry,” said Fives, placing a hand on Boil’s shoulder. “I . . . know what it’s like to lose your _ori’vod_.”

“Yeah,” Boil muttered, running his hands down his face. “I . . . It’s just –”

He broke off as tears started to form in his eyes. His speech trailed off into quiet sobs as he sat next to Waxer’s body, numb to the rest of the planet. Rex, Fives, Jesse, Tup, and Denal all stood around him, silent. Just watching.

Not one of them judged him.

Cold fury shot through Rex’s heart unannounced. How many lives had Krell needlessly cost them? How many brothers had he separated forever? He’d never considered them as humans. As real, thinking, sentient beings.

'Creatures,' he’d said.

Creatures bred in a laboratory.

If that were the truth, why would Boil be so distraught over his friend’s death? Why would people like Skywalker and Kenobi and Ahsoka care so much about them? Why would they all feel different in the Force?

Because that wasn’t the truth.

_We are not creatures. We are not droids._

_We are men. Thinking, living, breathing men._

Rex felt it all closing in around him. The anger, the pain, the loss, the confusion. All of it was pressing in around him, radiating off of every clone in the entire airbase. And he was the only one of them that could actually feel _all_ of it at once. If he didn’t get some time to himself soon, he was going to let loose in front of everyone. And he couldn’t have that.

“I’m headed off,” Rex muttered to Tup, turning away from the scene in front of them. He couldn’t watch anymore. “Find Appo. Tell him to keep things running smoothly.”

“Yes, sir,” Tup nodded, not asking any questions.

Denal wasn’t so obedient. “Where’re you going?” he asked, looking after Rex.

“I won’t be gone long,” Rex said, glancing back as he continued walking away. He could barely get out full sentences around the throat-closing rage that was going to consume him any second now. “I’ll just be in the barracks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Night Has Opened My Eyes - The Smiths
> 
> Merry Christmas!
> 
> My gift to you is:  
> S A D N E S S


	41. The Mourning After

**Airbase, Umbara**

Ahsoka had spent the better part of the last two hours with Coric, Kix, and a few of the medics in the 212th, helping to patch up the wounded or comfort the dying as best as they could. It had been a messy, stressful business. She was still proud of having helped save those she could, but it was the ones that hadn’t made it that stuck out most in her mind.

Them, and the ones that were missing limbs. From a lightsaber.

Some had lost an arm. Half a leg. A hand.

They knew they were as good as dead. They would be deemed unfit for combat and terminated by the Kaminoans. And there wasn’t much Ahsoka or the medics could do about it.

Denal had been lucky that Anakin was in the process of getting a replacement arm when he’d been injured. They didn’t just have a bunch of mechno arms and legs lying around that they could use to patch up troopers in secret, and there was no way that the medics were going to be able to keep the types of casualties here under wraps. They would need to report that several clones had lost limbs.

They’d be found out sooner or later.

Ahsoka _hated_ it.

She needed to find Rex. She needed to get answers as to what had happened here. No one had wanted to tell her when she asked about it.

As she walked toward one of the buildings just beside the main spire – the one that Denal had pointed out to her as the makeshift barracks when she’d asked him where Rex was – Ahsoka brushed absentmindedly at the drying blood stains covered her hands, forearms, knees, and torso. It was a byproduct of being close to and helping to stabilize or operate on men filled with holes and cuts, and a grizzly reminder of the cost of this campaign. She’d need to spend some time in the ‘fresher soon to wash it all off.

It didn’t gross her out; she was a natural predator, after all. But she didn’t like having the blood of her men all over her, that was for sure.

Ahsoka entered the building and closed her eyes in an attempt to focus. It was hard, what with everything that was going on around her, but the promise of answers and the prospect of seeing Rex alive and hopefully mostly okay was enough to get her to quiet her mind and focus on zeroing in on Rex’s Force-signature.

After only a few moments, her eyes shot open and a whole new wave of concern swept through her.

Rex was nearby, only a few meters into one of the adjacent rooms, but the emotions radiating off of him were . . . intense. Toxic. White-hot. Before, it had been lost in all the anger and pain that just about every other trooper in the airbase was giving off, but now that she knew that this specific cocktail of hatred was coming from _Rex_ , Ahsoka couldn’t believe it. How had she not noticed that before? Sure, she’d been busy with the wounded and the base was full of high emotions, but was that really an excuse? They were Bonded, after all.

She needed to get to him.

Making her way into a hallway to the right, Ahsoka followed the pull of Rex’s Force-signature. After only a few moments, she found herself standing in front of another door. She could feel Rex seething on the other side. Did he know she was just outside? That she was close? Taking a deep breath, Ahsoka stepped forward, allowed the pneumatic door to slide open, and entered.

She was standing in a fairly spacious room. To the left, there were a few long desks, and to the right several bunk beds were lined up in rows. This must have been where the boys had set up their sleeping quarters while residing in the base. A couple of lockers for storing gear lined the opposite side of the room. The door slid shut behind her. Ahsoka barely had time to take all of this in before a small, semicircular object flew just past her with great force and slammed into the wall just beside the door. There was a huge clatter, and it bounced off the metal and dropped to the ground, rolling slightly before coming to a stop just next to her foot.

It was Rex’s helmet, it’s rangefinder now snapped in two and its visor now showing a spiderweb of cracks across its surface.

“Get. Out,” ordered a gruff voice from just ahead.

Ahsoka tore her eyes away from the helmet and saw that Rex was standing over one of the tables, his back to her and his head bowed. His posture was rigid and he was resting his fists against the tabletop. A ticking time bomb of anger, tension, and stress flowed out from him. Not in waves, but in a constant, gushing waterfall of emotion.

It was worse than she’d thought.

“R-Rex?” Ahsoka said, shocked at his hostility. What had _happened_?

At the sound of his name, Rex stiffened. Shock seemed to shoot through him like a blaster bolt, and he whipped around, his eyes wide with surprise and his mouth hanging open at Ahsoka’s presence. He’d been expecting someone else, apparently.

“Ma’am – er – _commander_!” he gasped. His eyes flitted between her and the damaged helmet he’d thrown against the wall, horror crossing his features. “I – I’m sorry! I didn’t – I didn’t mean to – fuck!” And he turned away from her again, shutting his eyes and shaking his head. He couldn’t even look at her.

“Rex? Rex!” Ahsoka closed the gap between them. “Hey, it’s okay. What happened?” She reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, but he jerked away from her as if her touch burned him. Ahsoka stepped back, sucking in a sharp breath, worried she’d overstepped some boundary. “Please . . . talk to me.”

Rex leaned against one of the nearby bunkbeds, still turned away from her. “When did you get here?”

“A . . . couple of hours ago,” Ahsoka said, still confused and shocked at Rex’s actions. “I’ve been helping Coric with the wounded.”

Rex glanced at her, his eyes giving her a once over, taking in her bloodstained skin and clothes.

“I . . . see.”

“There were . . . so many of them,” Ahsoka fretted. “Rex, please tell me what happened. Where’s Drayk? Where’s Master Krell?”

She _heard_ Rex’s teeth grind together. “Krell’s dead. So is Drayk.”

Her brows shot up. It was awful that Drayk had been killed, but a Jedi too? And a Master no less. Things had been worse down her than she had ever thought. “What? How did –”

“We executed him.”

Cold shock shot through Ahsoka. Her mouth fell open and she took a step back from Rex.

The _clones_ had killed Master Krell?

Rex must have sensed Ahsoka’s reaction, because he turned toward her, running one hand down his tired-looking face. “He was a traitor,” he said, his voice hoarse. “Krell was trying to impress Dooku by sabotaging the Republic’s campaign of Umbara; so he could hand it to him on a silver platter.” Rex leaned stepped closer and leaned over the table once more. “He kept making reckless, dangerous plans that got a lot of men killed. He almost had Fives and Jesse executed. And . . . he – he set us up. He baited the Five-Oh-First and Two-Twelfth into firing on each other by telling both of us that the Umbarans had stolen our gear.”

Ahsoka sank into a seat adjacent to Rex, his words slowly making their way through her brain. Krell was a traitor. Working for Dooku. Nearly killed Fives and Jesse. Made the clones fire on each other.

That meant . . . That meant that all those men out there – all the ones she’d helped – were casualties not of the Umbarans, but of Krell. The blaster bolts were from friendlies, and the lightsaber marks . . .

“Krell . . . fought you guys?” Ahsoka demanded, leaning closer. She could scarcely believe the words coming out of her own mouth. “Rex . . . you need to tell me everything.”

Rex hesitated for a moment, and then his eyes met hers. She met his gaze, doing her best to project feelings of safety and confidence out toward him. He could trust her. Surely he knew that. Right?

“Okay,” Rex sighed. “It’s . . . a long story.”

And he told her everything.

He told her how Krell had changed immediately after Anakin left. How he started only referring to troopers by their numbers instead of their names. How his plans were so reckless and nearly suicidal, causing many unnecessary deaths and making many of the men question his leadership. How he’d reprimanded Rex, Fives, and others for attempting to come up with their own plans. How Hardcase had died during Fives’ plan to take out the supply ship. How Krell had almost executed Fives and Jesse. How Krell had tricked the 501st and 212th into shooting at one another. About Rex’s plan to organize a mutiny. About Dogma’s conflict of interests. About how Krell had fought back, cutting through the clones with ease until Tup had managed to come up with a plan and stopped him.

Ahsoka just let him talk, only opening her mouth to utter the occasional expletive or let out a gasp of shock or outrage.

After what seemed like ages, Rex finally paused.

“What . . . happened after that?” Ahsoka prompted. She still hadn’t heard the end to this story. “You all had Krell in one of the cells. Then what?”

Rex was silent for a moment, still leaning over the table and looking down at nothing. “We interrogated him,” he said. “Krell told us that he’d had a vision. That some ‘new power’ was rising and that the Republic was going to lose the war. He decided that he wanted to play for the winning team, so he switched sides. He was sabotaging our campaign from the start. He wanted to give Umbara to Dooku so the Count would accept him as an apprentice.”

“And you guys had a problem with that,” Ahsoka prompted, giving a weak smile.

Rex’s mouth only twitched. “Naturally,” he said. “Zeer and Denal got the comms working in full again and we got word from General Kenobi that the Umbarans had been routed and that the remainder of their forces were coming to hit us. We knew that on the off chance that they beat us, they’d go down into the detention area and discover Krell. He’d give over all our intel; security codes, formations, strategies, troop deployments, everything. We . . . could not allow that to happen. So . . . we – _I_ – decided that he had to be executed.”

Ahsoka couldn’t imagine what kind of stress that must have put him under. They really didn’t have a choice; they were right about Krell being able to sell out the Republic in totality if he was obtained by the Separatists. He had to be silenced, as awful as that was to think about. And then there was the fact that clones had _decided_ to kill a _Jedi_. Not only was there no precedent for any kind of situation like that, but it was almost certainly against what was probably ever regulation in the rulebook.

“So . . . you did it, then?” Ahsoka asked, almost dreading the answer.

Had Rex killed Krell? Had he killed a Jedi?

Rex’s lips drew back in a snarl. “Fives, Jesse, and I went back down into the brig,” he explained. “We let Dogma out of his cell and I got ready to kill Krell. I deactivated the energy field, stepped up, and took out my pistol. And I couldn’t _do_ _it_!” Rex reared back his left fist and slammed it into the table with enough force that Ahsoka heard the violent _crack_ of his finger bones fracturing.

She took a quick step back, her eyes widening and her hands shooting up to cover her mouth as she let out a shocked gasp at the sudden explosion.

Rex’s head whipped up and his eyes locked on hers, looking manic. “I stood there with my pistol aimed right at Krell’s back and I couldn’t pull the trigger! I couldn’t kill the _demagolka_ , and you know why? Because I thought about everything _I_ could lose! Of what could happen to _me_! I’d lose my rank, I’d lose my life, I’d lose my men, I’d lose Skywalker, I’d lose _you_!” His voice cracked and he seemed to deflate. Rex sank down into the seat in front of him, cradling his now injured hand in his lap as he bowed his head and his shoulders slumped forward.

Slowly, as though she were stepping through a minefield, Ahsoka moved forward and sat down just to the left of him. Reaching out, she gently placed her hands on his shoulder and bicep. He didn’t pull away this time.

“Krell knew I didn’t have it in me,” Rex said. “Must’ve sensed it. I dunno how long we stood like that; me with my pistol ready, him kneeling on the ground while he mocked me. Dogma killed him. He snatched one of Fives’ sidearms right from out of its holster and shot Krell through the back before anyone even knew he had the gun. Dogma killed him because I couldn’t. Because I failed. And now he’s in custody being taken to Coruscant or Kamino or wherever. He’ll probably be questioned, maybe court-martialed. He could be detained or tested to see if he’s defective or dangerous. It should’ve _been me_.”

Silence fell between them like a heavy blanket.

Ahsoka tried to take everything in.

“Rex,” she said after a long pause. “You can’t blame yourself for freezing up. You were worried about what could happen to you. That only makes you human. I can’t ask any more of you, and neither can anyone else.”

He just shook his head. “You don’t get it, littl’un,” he said. There was no anger or frustration or bitterness in his voice. He just sounded so _tired_. “I knew what I had to do in order to save my men. To save the Republic. Killing Krell was the right thing to do, regardless of the consequences. But I . . . couldn’t. Because I was scared of what could’ve happened to me after. Just another in a long line of failures I’ve had lately. I’ve been a mess this entire campaign: didn’t see Krell for what he was until it was almost too late, followed his orders and plans to the letter and without question, almost went through with executing Fives and Jesse. They’d be dead right now if Fives didn’t manage to talk the firing squad down. And I couldn’t even fix my own damn mess by putting a bolt in Krell’s back myself. How many men would still be alive if I’d figured out what was going on and done something about it? Maybe I’m losing my touch.” He shook his head.

Ahsoka knew he was digging himself deeper and deeper into a pit of hopelessness and misery. She had to stop him.

“Rex.”

He didn’t look at her.

“Rex, look at me.”

Nothing.

Ahsoka reached out and cupped his face in her hands. Gently, she turned his head so that they were actually looking at one another. All the fury had gone out of Rex’s features. He no longer looked like a battle-hardened soldier, but a confused, sad teenage boy. It almost broke her heart to see him like that.

“Rex,” said once more, practically begging him to listen to her, “you can’t blame yourself like that. There’s no way you could’ve known what Krell’s intentions were. Like you said; he’s – uh, _was_ – a Jedi, and you’re a clone. As far as I know, no Jedi has ever done something like this during the war. There’s no way you would’ve ever figured it out. You all trust the Jedi completely. And . . . Krell abused that trust.”

“Shouldn’t I . . . I dunno. Shouldn’t I have sensed him or something?”

“If Anakin and Obi-Wan couldn’t sense what Krell really was, you couldn’t have,” Ahsoka told him, keeping eye contact. “He must’ve been good at hiding his aura.”

Rex slowly reached up with his right hand and placed it right over top of one of Ahsoka’s; still resting on his cheek. “I still let all this happen,” Rex said. “Ahsoka . . . I know you think all of us are human, but not everyone thinks that way. Not all of us. And really . . . we’re not human. I know that. We’re bred to loyal. We’re bred to be obedient. We can take more punishment than humans. We can heal faster than humans. We’re different. Subservient to authority. Krell knew that. And it was a flaw that he exploited to get us killed and turn us against one another. Boomer, Oz, Ringo, Hardcase, Drayk, Eyeball, Punch, Edge, Attie, Waxer, Ven, Boro. Dozens of others. Did they all really have to die? I was thinking about myself when I should’ve been thinking about the group.”

Ahsoka leaned in, pulling Rex toward her at the same time, and pressed her forehead against his.

“Rex,” she almost whispered, “you are the most human person I’ve ever met. I don’t care that you’re a clone and I don’t care what you were ‘bred’ to do. You can still choose to become something different. And you _are_ different. I know you have a responsibility to your men, but you have a responsibility to yourself, too. And if you’d really shot Krell and been taken away, who would lead the Five-Oh-First then? We need _you_ for that.” Ahsoka paused, contemplating if she should really say the next words that came to mind. “ _I_ need you.”

For whatever reason, that seemed to knock Rex back into reality. He blinked once. Twice. His eyes darted away from hers. But he didn’t pull away.

His face went red. “My . . . m-my hand hurts,” he mumbled.

Ahsoka back away and looked down. Rex was still cradling his left hand. She switched gears, letting go of his face and grasping both of his forearms. Standing, she coaxed him to his feet and led him over to one of the bunks.

She sat down near the top of the bed. “Lay your head here.” She patted her own lap.

Rex, moving as though he were in some kind of dream, lay down on the bed, leaning his head back and resting it upon her legs. He looked up at her, his eyes still nearly blank. Still, she could see – and feel – some of the old Rex in there. He wasn’t lost. He just needed to rest. And to heal.

She was going to help him do that, no matter what.

“Give me your hand,” Ahsoka told him.

Obediently, Rex held up his left hand towards her. She reached out and clasped it in both of her own. Holding it close, she furrowed her brow and concentrated. Drawing upon the Force, she did her best to compact all that energy into the limb she was grasping. She didn’t know much about Force-healing, but she could still try her best. Just like she had for all the men outside.

“What are you doing?” Rex asked.

“I’m . . . accelerating your healing,” Ahsoka said. “I think. Barriss or Obi-Wan would probably be better at this than me. But I can at least calm your nerve-endings down so it doesn’t hurt as much. Maybe fix a few of the bones. Coric or Kix’ll probably still need to take a look at you, but I’ll do my best, okay?”

Rex was quiet for a moment. Maybe she was imagining it, but Ahsoka wondered if he was too busy staring up at her face to formulate a response.

“Okay,” he said.

“It seems like you went through hell down here,” Ahsoka said. “You did a good job, Rex. Don’t let anyone tell you different. Not even yourself. You should close your eyes. Get some sleep. No one’ll miss you for an hour or two.”

“I should . . . be doing something . . .”

Ahsoka wasn’t having it. “Bly’s here; he came down with me. Maybe he can take over. Or Denal. Or Appo. Or Fives. Or Jesse. It doesn’t matter. Someone else can handle things for a while. Okay? Please, just rest.”

Silence.

“Okay.”

Rex’s lids slid shut on those beautiful hazel eyes of his, and true silence fell over the room. Ahsoka still held his hand just over his chestplate, trying her damnedest to make some actual progress on healing at least _some_ of the damage he’d caused himself.

He’d been so _angry_.

And guilty. And hurt.

Ahsoka would likely never truly know what it was like to have fought on the ground; to have been there during Krell’s apparently disastrous leadership. And, honestly, it was probably better that way. Still . . . what if she _had_ been there? Could she have helped? Could she have stopped all of this from happening? She wasn't sure, and that would likely keep her up at night: wondering if there was something she could have done. If maybe she'd acted on Denal's message sooner. If she'd gone down after Anakin had been called away to help the 501st directly. If. Regardless, she needed to focus on the here and now. She could at least still help Rex and the men pick up the pieces now that it was all over.

After only a minute or two, Rex’s breathing slowed and his hand went limp in hers. He was asleep.

Acting almost on impulse, Ahsoka leaned down and gently pressed her lips to his cheek. He stirred a bit and his mouth twitched, but did not wake, much to her relief. That would be hard to explain.

Actually, it already was hard to explain.

_Why did I do that?_

She’d never kissed anyone before, not even on the cheek or anything like that. Why did she do it to Rex?

“Am I . . . interrupting something?”

Fear and panic shot through Ahsoka and she stiffed. She glanced back toward the door, her eyes wider than exhaust ports.

Fives was leaning against the doorframe, staring over at her and Rex on the bunk. A little half-smile played on his lips, but he didn’t look nearly as amused as she figured he normally would in a situation like this.

Ahsoka’s mouth wasn’t working properly. “H-How much did you – did you –”

He waved her off. “I’ve only been here for a minute or something,” he said. “Not long.”

“You won’t –”

“Don’t worry. I won’t say a thing,” Fives nodded, looking uncharacteristically serious. “I was just looking for the Captain. Wanted to make sure he was doing alright. Seems to me he’s in good hands, so I think I’ll be going.”

“How are . . . How are things?” Ahsoka asked. “Out there.”

“Alright, all things considered,” Fives told her. “Bly’s got things under control. I’m helping. I think Cody and Kenobi are showing up soon, so we’ll have to explain this whole mess to them. Skywalker’s just entered atmosphere, too. So we can expect a visit from him.”

Ahsoka grimaced. This was going to be even more of an ordeal than she thought. “Should I . . . come out?”

“Nah,” Fives said. “No one’s here yet, so there’s no point in bothering. If you’re still in here when they arrive, I’ll let you know.”

“Thanks, Fives.”

“What are friends for?” he asked, that half-smile making its return. “Just, er . . . make sure he rests, alright? He needs it after the last couple of days.” He turned to go.

“Fives?”

He glanced back.

“You did a great job down here,” Ahsoka told him. “Rex told me everything. You risked a lot to take out that supply ship and go against Krell’s orders. You probably saved a lot of your brothers.”

Fives winked, but she felt deep gratitude flow out from him. “Just doing my job, ma’am. And, er . . . don’t worry.” He drew two fingers across his mouth as though he were working a zipper. “My lips are sealed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Mourning After - Mac Miller
> 
> Well, that was . . . something. Wasn't it?
> 
> "I don't sleep much, when I do I'm comatose"


	42. Hundred

**Airbase, Umbara**

Anakin walked across the ground of the airbase, taking in the sights and sounds around him. There were _so many_ dead and injured from both the 501st and 212th. What had happened here?

He knew something ‘out of the ordinary’ had taken place given what little he’d heard from Lieutenant Slipstream before making the trip down to the planet below, but he wasn’t sure of the details. Something about betrayal, some troopers almost being executed, and a friendly fire incident.

Ahead, he saw a few clones in command gear conversing.

Bly, Cody, and Fives. Surely they’d be able to tell him what the situation was. And maybe help him find Rex, since the Captain was nowhere to be found and couldn’t be raised on the comms. Anakin adjusted his trajectory and began striding towards them. The closer he got, the more he began to make out what the men were saying.

“– say I’m too excited to file this report,” Cody was saying, shaking his head. “It’ll probably be examined by the SOB, the Senate, the Jedi Council . . . Hell, probably even the Chancellor’s office.”

“I don’t envy you and Rex,” Bly agreed. “For once, I’m glad me and my guys ended up in space and not on the ground. Have all the casualty reports come in yet?”

Fives nodded. “Over a thousand men dead between the Five-Oh-First and Two-Twelfth,” he said, looking grim. “And more than that wounded. We’re going to need a lot of shinies after this.”

“Fives!” Anakin called, raising one hand to draw attention to himself as he drew even with the clones. “Fives, what’s the situation here? Where’s Rex and Drayk? Where’s Krell?”

The clones shot glances at one another.

“It’s, er . . . a long story,” Fives said, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. “A lot’s happened since you left.”

Anakin glanced about at the chaos around them. “I can see that. Yeah,” he said. “Who’s in charge here? Bly, is Ahsoka with you or up in space? I didn’t have time to check.”

The lack of information and understanding was really starting to get to Anakin. He hadn’t been around to help his men and it seemed as though things had really gone to shit without him. If Krell – Jedi Master or not – had led the 501st poorly, Anakin would definitely be making some kind of complaint. Hell, he might even have to confront him personally. Especially if someone he knew well had gotten hurt.

Or killed.

“Well, you see –”

“Anakin!”

Anakin turned around to see Obi-Wan walking toward him from behind, looking troubled. He walked alongside Boil, who looked ragged.

“Obi-Wan?” Anakin said. What was he doing here? Didn’t he have his own side of the campaign to look after? “I take it you guys won, then.”

“Well, yes,” his old Master frowned, stroking his beard. “And no. It’s rather . . . complicated.”

“Krell was a traitor, sir,” Cody told him. “He tricked our forces into firing on one another and was sabotaging our battle plans and communications. He wanted to hand Umbara over to the CIS so he could join Dooku.”

“What?” Anakin demanded, in total disbelief. “That can’t be true. Are you sure?”

“I heard him admit it himself, General,” Fives said.

Fives’ word was good enough for Anakin. His hands curled into fists as raw anger shot through him. How had he not sensed it? Shouldn’t he have been able to tell that Krell wasn’t what he said he was? That he was a traitor?

Suddenly, guilt replaced the fury.

Anakin had left his troops in the command of a traitor. And by the looks of it, they’d suffered greatly because of that. Was this his fault?

“Take me to Krell,” he ordered. “I want to interrogate him myself.” He needed to see this for himself. He wanted some one-on-one time with the _sleemo_. Find out _exactly_ what he had done to his men. Find out how he should be punished for his crimes.

Fives and Cody shared a glance.

“I’m afraid that’s not possible, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Why not?” Anakin demanded, rounding on him and shaking off his touch. “He led _my_ men. I should be able to question him about his crimes.”

“Because, sir,” Fives said, looking a little nervous, “Krell’s dead.”

That brought Anakin up short. In the last minute or so, he’d experienced quite a few emotions; anger, guilt, resentment, worry. Now he was just confused. Krell was dead?

“How?” he asked, turning toward Fives. “It sounded like you guys had captured him.”

“We did,” Fives nodded. “And we, er . . . executed him.”

Anakin’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh.”

No wonder things were so ‘complicated.’ Not only had a Jedi apparently betrayed the Code and had attempted to sabotage their campaign, leading to the deaths of many clones, but the clones had also apparently taken matters into their own hands and had executed him in the field.

“It seems there were . . . extenuating circumstances,” Obi-Wan said, “that led to the clones deciding that the best course of action was to silence Krell so that the Umbarans could not get their hands on him.”

“I see,” Anakin said, pausing to think. “That makes sense, but . . . you know that makes this harder to prove, right? If Krell’s dead, then he can’t confess that he really did betray us. Everything’s going to ride on the credibility of the reports that get filed.”

“What about the dozens of bodies cut up with lightsabers?” Boil asked, speaking for the first time. “Isn’t that proof enough?”

“Not if someone attempts to push the notion that the clones decided to mutiny and Krell was only trying to defend himself,” Obi-Wan said, frowning.

“Sir!” Cody said, as though unable to believe his ears. “The men would _never_ fire on a Jedi unless something like this happened.”

“I know that, Cody,” Obi-Wan said, raising his hand and smiling slightly. “And I’m grateful. However, surely there are some in the Senate that might not believe that on good faith alone. The Jedi Council might believe you, given they all have close relationships with their own clone commanders, but the Senate and the Grand Army might be harder to convince.”

“They’ll probably interrogate Dogma,” Fives said.

“Dogma?” asked Anakin. “Why Dogma?” Out of any of the men, he figured Dogma would have the least to do with whatever had gone on here. He was loyal and obedient; unlikely to be involved in a mutiny or execution.

“He was the one that ended up pulling the trigger on Krell,” Fives explained. One look at Anakin’s expression prompted him to continue. “Er, when we decided that the Gen – er, Krell – had to be executed, Rex, Jesse, and I went down into the brig to do it. We let Dogma out; he’d tried to stop us from pursuing Krell and almost shot Rex. The Captain was in the process of executing Krell, but . . . he was hesitating. Dogma grabbed one of my sidearms and, er, finished the job himself. He was taken away a while ago. Probably on his way back to Coruscant or Kamino as we speak.”

What a mess indeed.

“Speaking of Rex,” Anakin said. “Where is he? Or Drayk?” He needed to talk to one of his captains. Figure out exactly what to do next and get a detailed report of the situation.

“Er . . . Drayk’s dead, sir,” Fives told him. “He was killed in the friendly-fire incident that Krell orchestrated. Rex is . . . busy at the moment. But I can track him down if you need me to. It’s been a long couple of days and I think he needed some rest.”

“Commander Tano should be with him,” Bly went on. “She was off to find him last I saw her. She’s probably getting a report out of him right now.”

Fives gave a little snort, but Anakin wasn’t sure why.

So Ahsoka _was_ down here already. Anakin wondered what she thought about all this.

“Sure, Fives,” he said. “Find Rex for me. If you think he’s rested enough, I need to talk to him about this.”

“Yes, sir!” Fives snapped a quick salute, then turned and started walking toward one of the nearby buildings.

It was quiet for a few moments.

“Generals,” Bly spoke up, “how severe is this situation? Has anything like this ever happened before? I didn’t think Jedi, well . . . I thought you were all strictly opposed to all this Dark Side stuff.”

“Yes,” Obi-Wan nodded. “We are. As is our Code. However, no one is immune to the pull of the Dark Side. A few times a generation, there are Jedi who lose their way and Fall. Count Dooku, for one. I believe my former Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, had an apprentice before me that Fell. Even thousands of years ago, the Jedi Knight Revan turned to the Dark Side and created an empire that nearly took over the entire galaxy. It is a very serious issue, and we are always vigilant for signs that may warn us of such a thing.”

“I take it that means that, no matter what the Senate decides regarding consequences, what happened here is going to be kept under wraps?” asked Cody.

“More likely than not,” nodded Obi-Wan.

They were right. The Republic wouldn’t want it to get out to the general populous that a Jedi had Fallen to the Dark Side and had almost cost them a vital campaign. Nor would they want people to know that the clones had killed a Jedi of their own accord, evil or not.

“There’s, er . . . one more thing,” Cody said.

“Go on,” Anakin prompted.

“Well . . . Bly, Fives, and I were talking, and – with your permission, of course – we’d like to . . . burn the dead,” Cody said. “We don’t want them sent back to Kamino to be recycled. We think they’ve more than earned a proper funeral.”

Anakin and Obi-Wan glanced at one another. Anakin looked around the airbase once more. There were so many dead. Bodies lined in rows. Clones kneeling over corpses, grieving and paying their respects. Medics backed up treating the wounded. Discarded armor and weapons lying everywhere.

It had certainly been hell.

“Of course,” Anakin said, not waiting for Obi-Wan’s say-so as he looked Cody directly in the eyes. “You can burn them.”

* * *

Denal stood alongside Joc, Coric, Boil, Vaughn, and Chopper as they watched the procession in front of them. All the remaining men from the 501st, the 212th, and some of Bly’s 327th had gathered in an open area of the airbase to watch the mass cremation. Umbaran tanks and starfighters had been cleared away and now the dead were lined in neat rows, their armor removed, arms folded over their chests, eyes closed. At the head of the rows of corpses stood the clone leaders – Rex, Cody, Bly – and the three Jedi – Skywalker, Kenobi, Tano.

The burning had yet to commence.

“It was good of the Jedi to let us burn them,” said Vaughn. “After everything they went through, they at least deserve a proper send-off.”

“Oh, if the longnecks could see us now,” Chopper remarked.

“Wouldn’t be too pleased to see all this fine genetic material go to waste,” said Denal, folding his arms.

“There are no eyes here. In this valley of dying stars,” muttered Coric, looking hollow.

Everyone glanced over at him, even Boil, who had barely said a word and was fixated on the dead in front of them, his eyes undoubtedly locked on Waxer’s body, wherever he was.

“You okay, sarge?” asked Joc.

Coric cleared his throat. “Something I heard in a holovid once,” he said, straightening. “I’m fine. Well . . . as fine as I can be right now, I guess.”

“You did all you could, _vod_ ,” Denal said, placing a hand on Coric’s shoulder. “You and Kix saved a lot of lives.”

Coric sighed. “I know,” he said. “But you always wonder about the ones that slipped away under your care. Just the life of a medic, I guess.”

“Can’t say I envy you,” Joc said. “But we’re all glad you do what you do.”

“They’re about to start,” Boil said.

Denal faced forward as General Skywalker stepped up. Glancing at the others, he noticed that one of Commander Tano’s hands hand entertained itself discreetly with one of Rex’s. He had to suppress a smile; there would be time for private laughter later. 

“Men of the Five-Oh-First and Two-Twelfth,” Skywalker said, using his louder command tone so as to address everyone assembled, “a horrible crime has been committed against you. You’ve been betrayed. Your trust has been abused. Broken. General Pong Krell turned away from the Light Side of the Force and fell to the Dark Side, and he used his position as your leader to attempt to sabotage the Republic’s campaign on Umbara. But more than that, he used that position to put you all in harm’s way. He lied to you. Tricked you. Sent you into enemy territory underprepared and without a valid strategy. He tried to have you executed. He even ordered you all to unknowingly fire upon one another.”

“We don’t need a recap,” Chopper muttered. “We were all there.”

“Shut up,” scolded Boil, elbowing him.

“You have my sincerest apologies,” Skywalker continued, looking around. “As well as the apologies of General Kenobi and Commander Tano. The Jedi Council and the Order as a whole would likely agree. Krell is dead now. That may not bring back those who he killed either by sending into danger or by his own hand, but at least those lost will rest easy now that justice has been served. Now that the battle is over, we have to tend to the wounded, tally the deceased, and get ourselves back home. But before that, we’re going to take a moment to honor all those that were killed in action. Those you see before you are the men that were killed both in the friendly-fire incident and in the attempt to apprehend Krell. They won’t be going back to Kamino or Coruscant. They’re going to be cremated. Here and now.”

Appreciative murmurs broke out within the crowd. Denal had known what was going to happen as he’d been told by Fives, but not everyone else did. It was surely a surprising move, and it made Denal – and surely most of the rest of the 501st – even more appreciative that Skywalker was _their_ general.

General Skywalker turned back toward the leaders and nodded, saying something that Denal couldn’t quite hear. As one, Rex and Cody stepped closer to him.

“Squad!” Rex barked. “Atten _tion_!”

Del, Ridge, Nax, and Zeer appeared from the background, all wielding DC-15 rifles. Trapper, Crys, and Threepwood stepped up with their weapons as well. As they did so, Fives, Mixer, Tracker, and Gus began to walk among the deceased, all holding canisters of what seemed to be some sort of flammable liquid. As they passed the bodies, they tipped their canisters over, pouring the liquid across the corpses in rows.

“Ready!” Rex barked.

Del, Ridge, Nax, Zeer, Trapper, Crys, and Threepwood all rested their rifles on their shoulders, switching off the safeties and making them ready.

“Aim!” Cody ordered.

The chosen men sighted up, pointing their weapons skyward.

“Fire!” Rex shouted.

The first volley went off. Seven bright blue blaster bolts shot up into the dark sky.

“Fire!”

They shot off a second volley.

“Fire!”

A final barrage of shots went off. As one, the firing squad flicked their safeties back on and shouldered their rifles, turning to stand at attention facing the rows of bodies in front of them. By this time, Fives, Mixer, Tracker, and Gus had finished their job. All the bodies had been coated in the flammable substance and they now stood by the officers and Jedi.

Mixer handed Rex a fire rod. Accepting it, the Captain cracked it in half before quickly tossing it forward. The moment it hit the ground, the rod sparked, igniting the liquid that the clones had covered the dead in. A wave of flames engulfed the bodies, sweeping from one end of the columns to the other. Even standing several meters away from the fire, Denal felt the heat against his exposed face; almost unbearably hot. He tried not to cringe at the sudden smell of burning flesh and hair that assaulted his nostrils.

Those were his brothers.

“Damn,” Chopper muttered. “Now there’s something you don’t see very often.”

Denal’s right hand twinged. Another phantom pain. Despite the fact that his mechno arm was indistinguishable from an organic one in terms of sensation and reaction-time, he still felt pain every now and then that reminded him that no, it was not organic.

He wondered how many men were wounded by Krell but left alive; missing an arm or a leg. Something else that was vital to everyday actions. He could ask Coric or Kix. But did he really want to know? They wouldn’t get to burn. They’d be sent back to Kamino for termination. And recycling. Denal got lucky.

_Very lucky._

It wasn’t fair.

But, then again. What part of a clone’s life _was_ fair? They aged at twice the rate of any human. They were forced into lifelong military service. They died by the thousands on a daily basis. They were fighting in a war most of them barely understood. They didn’t even really have rights as citizens of the Galactic Republic because they technically weren’t. None of that seemed fair to Denal.

And this particular situation wasn’t either.

Still. At least the dead got a proper sendoff.

“Think we’ll get held up for all this?” Vaughn wondered aloud as he watched the bodies burn. “We’ve broken a lot of rules lately. Staged a mutiny, killed our temporary Jedi General, cremated dead clones . . .”

“I doubt it,” Boil muttered. “The Republic needs all the fighting forces it can get. And we’re some of the best.”

“Denal and I sent a message to Commander Tano about Fives and Jesse almost getting executed by Krell,” Joc piped up. “I saved the recording. The whole thing. I’d say that’s pretty solid evidence as to what was happening here.”

Denal glanced over. “You saved that?”

“I save _everything_ ,” Joc said, smiling a bit. “I’ve also got the message we received that told us that the Umbarans had stolen Republic armor and weapons, which was a complete lie. They’ll have a hard time disputing that.”

Alongside Rex’s, Fives’, and Cody’s reports, that should certainly be enough to clear the clones of any real wrongdoing. And Boil was right. The GAR needed all the men they could get. Especially the 501st. Maybe. Just maybe – with time and rest – things would be alright again.

The fire that had by this time engulfed all the bodies and was slowly eating away at them sent huge plumes of smoke spiraling upwards into the sky. It was barely discernable against the inky blackness above, but it was there nonetheless. Denal hoped that – somewhere out there – his brothers were free and no longer in pain. In the Force. In the afterlife. Whatever. Wherever.

Was that too much to ask?

* * *

Obi-Wan wasn’t happy.

Then again, at the moment, no one was very happy.

They’d taken Umbara by the skin of their teeth, and they’d taken extensive losses in the effort. Partially because one of their own Jedi Masters had decided to defect to the Dark Side and pit their own troopers against one another.

_What an awful mess._

So much needless death and destruction. They shouldn’t have even been here in the first place. Normally, it wouldn’t have been the Republic’s business what side a specific planet took in the war unless they were specifically asked for help. Now, however, with Chancellor Palpatine and the Senate’s newer policies regarding keeping planets in the Republic by any means necessary, they were – in Obi-Wan’s opinion – sticking their nose where it did not belong.

He looked forward at the mass cremation of clones that was still occurring in front of him.

_Perhaps all this was comeuppance for our conquest._

Uneasiness permeated the entire airbase. Uneasiness, grief, anger, sorrow, confusion. Radiating off of everyone; the troops, Cody, Rex, Ahsoka, Anakin. Cody and Rex had retreated into their helmets; there was no telling what they were thinking. Cody’s body language was rigid, his back ramrod straight and his hands clasped so tightly behind his back that Obi-Wan was surprised he hadn’t snapped his plastoid armor into pieces. Rex stood next to Ahsoka, who had her hand clasped tightly in his, and –

Actually . . .

_Hmmm . . ._

In any case, Anakin had his eyes fixed upon the columns of burning corpses before them, his expression stormy. He certainly had a right to be angry. These were mostly his men. Men that he had left in the care of the former Master Krell. And now he was a traitor and they were dead. Knowing Anakin, he would surely feel at least some responsibility for that, deserved or not.

Come to that, how had he himself not sensed Krell’s true nature? How had the Council not known?

It was not comforting to think that a powerful Jedi such as he could Fall and no one had been able to sense it or stop it until it was too late. Obi-Wan didn’t like what that said about just how clouded their vision had become by the Darkness that surrounded this whole infernal war. A real problem that simply couldn’t be solved at the moment. Only winning the war and rooting out the Sith – wherever they might be – would allow things to go back to normal, as loathe as Obi-Wan was to admit that.

They had to keep fighting. There really was no choice in that.

It didn’t mean he had to like it.

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan said, glancing over at his former Padawan, “what are you thinking about?”

Anakin grunted, his gaze still fixed on the fire before them. The flames reflected in his blue eyes, and Obi-Wan could see them dance and churn as the glow turned his pupils red. “I’m thinking about how we let this happen.”

“There’s nothing you could’ve done, you know,” Obi-Wan said. “You were lightyears away.”

“Well, that’s the problem, isn’t it? I wasn’t here. I should’ve been.”

“And how would you have done that?” Obi-Wan asked. “Would you have ignored the Chancellor’s request?” As much as he didn’t like the influence that Palpatine seemed to have over Anakin, he couldn’t deny that – as the Supreme Chancellor – his reasoning for calling Anakin back to Coruscant has been apparently sound. Jedi went where they were needed.

“If I had known what would’ve happened, yes,” Anakin maintained, nodding his head.

“But you didn’t know,” Obi-Wan said. “You couldn’t have –”

“ _I_ think I could’ve,” Anakin cut him off, his voice low and tight. “I should’ve been able to sense Krell for the traitor that he was. I could’ve if I’d put my mind to it; I know it.”

“The past is the past,” Obi-Wan said, attempting to head off any wallowing that might follow. “We cannot change what is. We simply must deal with it and find a way to improve in the future.”

What had happened here was a tragedy to be sure. Most likely an unavoidable one. While Obi-Wan lamented the loss of all the clones’ lives, he also knew that they couldn’t afford to dwell on ‘what ifs’ and the like. They had to take this and learn from it. They still had to move forward. There was a war to fight and others – soldiers and civilians – who were still depending on them to lead. They wouldn’t be able to do that without clear heads.

“That’s easy for you to say,” Anakin said.

But it wasn’t. Not really.

Anakin had an excuse: he hadn’t been here. Obi-Wan didn’t have that luxury. He had been _on_ Umbara, but he’d been too caught up in his own side of that battle that he hadn’t the slightest idea that anything out of the ordinary had been occurring in regards to Pong Krell. By the time he’d learned that something was off, Krell had already been executed.

Yes, he’d had his doubts about the other Jedi – Krell seemed sharper than usual, more prone to barking orders and ignoring the ideas of others in favor of his own, more dangerous plans – but Obi-Wan had brushed that off as the war simply having taken its toll on him. In a way, he supposed that was true, though not in the way he’d initially thought.

Looking back, everything was, of course, crystal clear.

He tried not to dwell on which lives could’ve been saved, but it was difficult. It was always difficult. And yet, he tried nonetheless. Because it was what he’d been taught. Because he was a Jedi. Those that had fallen were already gone, and while Obi-Wan would both mourn and honor them, he still had a duty to protect and guide those that were still living.

He kept his mouth shut and watched the dead burn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hundred - The Fray  
> (pretty sure this dates me hardcore but idc)
> 
> Well, what a way to start the year. After this, no more chapters take place on Umbara. There are two more 'recovery' chapters on Coruscant, but we're done with the place.


	43. The Way It Was

**Memorial courtyard, 501 st barracks, Coruscant**

Rex lay flat on his back in the memorial courtyard of the barracks, looking up into the bright, blue sky above him. The grass felt nice against the exposed skin and thin layer of hair on his head. It was nice to really be able to _see_ again. To not have to rely on a night vision filter. He was also glad that he was no longer looking over his shoulder for Krell or an Umbaran.

The 501st hadn’t been assigned a new mission in two weeks. For two reasons. One was that their numbers were so depleted that they needed time to train new recruits. The other was that they were being investigated by the GAR, the Senate, and the Jedi because of what had happened with Krell. A datapad rested against Rex’s chest. He’d been looking over the list of new shinies the 501st had been sent, as well as assigning promotions to fill the many gaps in leadership that had been left in the wake of their previous battle. By now, his eyes had become tired from looking at a holoscreen for too long. It’d been like that for several days now, what with numerous reports to file, recruits to organize, messages to read, and plenty else. He desperately needed a break.

He reached a hand up massage his eyes.

“Rex,” said Ahsoka’s soft voice. “You okay?”

He opened his eyes and glanced over at her. She was lying just next to him, her hands clasped over her stomach. Her gaze was concerned. She’d practically refused to leave his side since Umbara; only parting with him to return to the Jedi Temple for mandatory studies and training. Her presence – as always – was a joy. She was a bright light in the otherwise dark atmosphere that had permeated the barracks lately. And not only for Rex, but the rest of the men as well.

Still . . . he couldn’t help but feel as though he, in particular, was getting the Rancor’s share of her attention.

And he was okay with that. Completely.

“I’m . . . I’m doin’ alright, littl’un,” Rex said, placing his hand back over his stomach. “I’m just . . . I dunno.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Ahsoka asked. “You haven’t said much about how you’ve been feeling. I’ve, well . . . I’ve picked up some stuff – y’know; through our Bond – but you haven’t said anything out loud.”

That was because Rex didn’t want to relive it. If he never spoke about Umbara ever again, that would be fine by him. But . . . he probably should talk about it. A lot had happened. There were a lot of things he’d done. A lot of things he _hadn’t_ done, too.

“It’s . . . I guess I’m just confused, Ahsoka,” Rex sighed. “And nervous. And . . . angry.”

“What about?”

Rex thought for a second. “From birth, I was taught that the Jedi were infallible. Invincible. Fighting for good and for peace,” Rex said. “I never believed that entirely; anyone can be killed. Even Jedi. I’ve seen it happen. But I guess I still thought that you – all of you – are the good guys. All the time. I know that’s the truth most of the time, but I still just couldn’t fathom the possibility that Krell was purposefully leading us astray until it was almost too late. I had at least a small amount of faith in him right up until Waxer told me that it was Krell who had told the Two-Twelfth that Umbarans had stolen our armor.”

“And . . .”

“And I was blinded by the chain of command,” Rex said. “By Krell’s title as ‘general’ and ‘Jedi.’ I went along with plans that I knew were full of holes and orders that I knew were dangerous and wrong. Fives tried to make me see otherwise and I almost let him get executed. And it makes me angry. At myself for being blind. At Krell for being the cause of all this. At the Kaminoans for engineering us this way. At everything, I guess.”

“After everything you went through, it’s okay that you’re angry, Rex,” Ahsoka said.

Rex turned his head so that he was looking at her. She’d inched closer to him, and her face was very close to his.

“I don’t really know how to move forward with this,” he admitted.

Ahsoka balked. “Why?” she asked. “Because you blame yourself for what happened? We already talked about that – it’s not your fault!”

Rex shook his head, remembering their conversation right after everything had happened. “No,” he said. “I’m, er, sorry about that, by the way. I know I scared you with how I was acting, but I think the stress just got to me.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Ahsoka assured him. “How’s your hand?”

“Better,” Rex said, flexing his left hand. After Ahsoka had used the Force on it, Coric had made him submerge it Bacta for an hour or so. Then, he’d been ordered to ‘take it easy’ on it for a time. That wasn’t so hard, given that they hadn’t been assigned any missions.

“You were saying?”

“What was one of the first things I told you when we met on Christophsis?” Rex asked. “Something that helped you adjust to your role.”

“Experience outranks everything?” She said it so quickly.

Rex gave a small chuckle. “Yeah. I did say that. But I also told you about orders. About how you were always supposed to follow them without question. That they were always there for a reason. That they kept us alive. That the chain of command was one of the most important things you could follow. But that’s exactly the kind of thinking that allowed Krell to do what he did. I don’t really know what to think right now. How would you feel if you were forced into a situation that made you question your core beliefs?”

“Well, I’ve actually been there before, remember?” Ahsoka said, smirking slightly.

“Oh,” Rex said. “Right.”

_JanFathal._

_That was a stupid question, you idiot._

“It’s not to the same extent as what you’re going through right now, but I think I’m probably the best you’ve got,” Ahsoka said.

She already was, but he wasn’t going to say that out loud.

“I just . . . I don’t really see how things are going to get back to normal,” Rex said. “Ever.”

“You’re pretty resistant to change, aren’t you?” Ahsoka asked, cocking her head slightly. “You bugged out over finding out you were Force-sensitive, and you tried rejecting our Bond when you found out about it.”

Rex frowned. “I . . . I guess?” he said, unsure of how exactly he should take that. “I dunno, maybe it’s the soldier in me. I’m trained to a strict regimen; order and routine are things you sort of become accustomed to.”

“Do things really _need_ to go back to normal?”

“What?”

Ahsoka had shifted around. She was now lying on her stomach, one arm braced flat against the ground while the other was propping up her head as she looked down at him.

“Everything changes, Rex,” Ahsoka said. “People change, situations change, governments change, our beliefs change. That’s just how the universe works. It’s natural. Things can’t always stay the same.”

“Still, not every change is for the better,” Rex pointed out. “Sometimes bad things just happen.”

“Well . . .” Ahsoka scrunched her mouth up as she thought for a few seconds, “I guess that’s true. There’re a few different types of changes. There’s good changes, there’s bad changes, and there’s bad changes that are only bad if you let them be bad. You can take something bad that happened and use it to make yourself better. So, which kind of change is this, Rex?” She cocked a brow at him.

A bit caught off guard, Rex laughed, shaking his head. “You’re too smart for me,” he said. “You’re pretty wise for your age; anyone ever tell you that?”

Ahsoka smiled sheepishly, glancing away as the stripes on her headtails became much more vivid. “No, uh . . . not really.”

“Guess I’ll be the first, then,” Rex said.

“Does that mean you’ll take my advice?” Ahsoka asked, looking back at him.

“I can try,” Rex said.

He couldn’t just give up. Betrayed or not, trust shaken or not, there was still a war to win. He still had men relying on him. And there was no way he was gonna fumble his command under Skywalker and Ahsoka of all people.

But that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to change.

Fives was right: one day this war _was_ going to end. Rex wanted to come out of it as a man and a citizen, not just a soldier. He wanted a future that he chose. He didn’t want the Senate or the Kaminoans or the GAR or even the Jedi deciding that for him.

And – in the back corner of his mind – he knew he didn’t want whatever future he’d glimpsed while on Mortis.

“Good,” Ahsoka said, smiling. “Because it wouldn’t be the same without you at a hundred percent.”

“What, you think I’d flake out on you?” Rex scoffed. “I’d follow you into hell if you and Skywalker ordered me to.”

“I’d never ask that of you.”

“Doesn’t matter. If you were going, I’d volunteer.”

Ahsoka blushed again and glanced away, which caused Rex to grin in a rather self-satisfied manner. A comfortable silence fell over the pair of them as they lay there in the courtyard, soaking in the midday sun. Rex knew he was going to have to break the quiet soon. Not only did he have work to do, but there was a certain . . . personal matter he needed to ask Ahsoka about.

_The man or the soldier?_

_Man._

“Ahsoka?” Rex asked, looking over at her.

“Hm?”

“Do you know a Jedi named Etain Tur-Mukan?”

Ahsoka frowned and knitted her brows together as she seemed to think about it for a few moments. “Yeah . . . Not very well, though. She’s a few years older than me. I think she became a Jedi Knight the same year I became a Padawan. I don’t really know what she does nowadays. Why?”

“I need to have a chat with her,” Rex said. “Nothing serious; just some business Captain Ordo has me doing.”

“Ordo?” Ahsoka asked. “Isn’t he the guy from the Special Operations Brigade that yelled at you for half an hour after Padmé and I went to Raxus?”

Rex snorted. “The very same.”

“Nice guy.”

“He’s a little . . . rough around the edges. But he’s an alright _vod_ ,” Rex said. “So, do you think you can put me in touch with Etain?”

“If it keeps Ordo off your back, sure,” Ahsoka shrugged. “If I can find her, I’ll send her by your office sometime.”

“Thanks, Ahsoka.”

_You really don’t know how important this is._

He didn’t like keeping the truth of why he was asking after Tur-Mukan from her, but he wasn’t ready to share that particular secret yet. Then he’d have to talk about how the SOB clones were breaking several different regulations by spying on Kamino, he’d probably have to disclose what he’d been up to on Saleucami, and – most importantly – he’d have to talk about his dream on Mortis, which was _not_ something he wanted to bring up.

Maybe one day he’d tell her. But not today.

Ahsoka smiled at him. “No problem.”

* * *

79’s was a lot quieter than usual.

Fives sat at the bar nursing a beer of some sort – he wasn’t even sure what kind. The alcohol was a bit off tonight, but that was probably because Tann wasn’t at the counter. Instead, 21-B series droid was serving the drinks. Droids just weren’t as good at organics at bartending.

Tann herself was crying her eyes out in a nearby booth, surrounded by Del, Nax, Zeer, and Ridge – who’d been promoted to sergeant – as they broke the news about Attie to her.

“Poor kid,” remarked Boil, who was leaning against the bar.

“I think that’s kinda how we’re all feeling on the inside,” Vaughn said from Fives’ left side.

“Hear, hear,” said Coric, downing a shot. He grimaced. “Damn. That fuckin’ droid does not know how to mix properly.”

“Alcohol is still alcohol, mix properly or not,” Fives said wisely. “As I once told Dogma: you don’t drink it for the taste.”

“Speaking of Dogma,” said Vaughn, “is there any word on him?”

Fives sighed. “I asked Denal and Joc about it – I swear those two know everything they’re not supposed to. Apparently, he’s being held on Coruscant at the moment. Awaiting some kind of military trial. No telling what they’ll decide.”

“Think he’ll be terminated?” asked Boil, grimacing.

“Doubt it,” said Coric. “But he could be imprisoned. Even if he’s acquitted, he’ll probably still be sent to Kamino and evaluated to see if he’s defective or dangerous.”

“That’s Banthashit,” Fives spat.

Sure, Dogma had almost sold them out, but he’d made a mistake. He knew that. And in the end, he’d done the right thing, even if Rex was supposed to carry out the execution. He’d killed a traitor. He shouldn’t be put on trial for that.

“Welcome to military bureaucracy,” Coric shrugged.

“Keep your voice down,” Vaughn warned.

“Gonna write us up, _Lieutenant_?” Fives mocked.

“No,” Vaughn admitted. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea to say stuff like that in a public setting.”

Whatever. Fives was past caring at this point.

“Alright, Vaughn,” Coric said. “You win.”

“Hey, how come you didn’t take the promotion?” Vaughn asked. “I heard Rex offered it to you.”

Coric shrugged. “I dunno,” he admitted. “I guess I just prefer being a sergeant. I don’t have any real need to climb the ranks or anything like that. Just makes my life easier. Appo can take it instead; command is more his thing than mine, anyway.”

“It’s not like you get anything other than more troops to order around, anyway,” Boil said.

“What’re you even doing here?” Fives asked, looking over at him and raising his eyebrow. “Don’t see any other Two-Twelfth boys around.”

Boil shrugged. “Got nothing else to do. Everyone’s preparing to move out again.”

“Already?” Vaughn asked, astonished. “We’re still on lock here. Where’re you guys going?”

“The Two-Twelfth wasn’t as involved as you guys with what happened on Umbara, so we got cleared faster,” Boil explained. “We’re headed to Sarrish.”

“Really?” Fives asked. “Heard the Seppies were dug in deeper than a Sarlaac over there.”

“Can’t say I’m looking forward to it,” Boil nodded. “Not right after Umbara.”

“Well, good luck to you,” Fives said, bumping him on the shoulder with his arm. “Guess the fight always goes on. You doing okay?”

“Best I can, I suppose,” Boil said, shaking his head. “It’s hard without Waxer around, you know? But I’ve got other friends. Trapper. Wooley. Threepwood. Cody. They’re helping me through it. I’m taking it a day at a time.”

“All any of us can do,” Fives said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Trust me – I’ve been there.”

“Yeah,” Boil said, nodding sadly. “A lot of us have.”

“That’s just how it’ll be until the end of the war,” Coric said. “Whenever that’ll be. Those of us that are left just have to make the sacrifices of those that aren’t here anymore worth it somehow.”

“And how exactly do we do that?”

“That’s the million-credit question,” Fives said. “Winning the war would probably be a nice start.”

Boil gave a small smile. “Yeah. Yeah, you’ve got a point there.”

He raised his drink and held it up towards Fives. Picking up his own cup, Fives briefly touched their glasses together before both clones took long swigs of their drinks.

Just another day in the Grand Army of the Republic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Way It Was - The Last of Us Soundtrack


	44. The Adults Are Talking

**Rex’s office, 501 st Barracks, Coruscant**

“All-in-all a rough couple of days, then,” remarked Gree. Through the holofeed, Rex could see him lean back in his chair, scratching his chin thoughtfully.

“You could say that, yeah,” Rex nodded.

He’d only just finished recounting the events of Umbara to Gree, Wolffe, Bacara, Doom, Neyo, and Keller via a conference comm meeting. They’d all – of course – seen the reports and heard the rumors, but they’d naturally wanted to hear the tale firsthand. It had taken a lot of energy, but Rex had managed it. They deserved to know.

“Not all Jedi are as reliable as we thought, eh?” asked Neyo, looking troubled. He’d always been a grim one.

“Neither are all people,” reasoned Gree. “Every group has some bad people in it. Every species, every religion, every organization.”

“Yeah, but this is a _Jedi_ we’re talking about,” Bacara pointed out. “If they go bad, they can do a lot of damage. As I’m sure Rex and Cody know now.”

Cody himself hadn’t been able to make it to the meeting, as he was currently slugging it out in what was apparently an extremely tough battle on Sarrish. Rex didn’t envy him. But that also meant that it fell solely upon him to recount the events of Umbara and talk through it with the other commanders.

“Krell was bad; there’s no denying that,” Rex said, passing a hand over his eyes as he leaned forward behind his desk. “Between his dangerous plans and his own attacks, we sustained upwards of a thousand casualties. Still, just because one Jedi with an already dubious reputation among clones turned to the Dark Side doesn’t mean we should lose faith in the Jedi Order as a whole. They’re still our generals, and they’re the difference between life and death on the battlefield. And they’re our friends.”

“I dunno,” said Neyo. “Personally, I don’t trust the Jedi a whole lot to begin with. I think their Code is flawed and gets in the way of victory. Plus, I think it stunts their emotional growth. Can make them unstable.”

“You would know plenty about that, wouldn’t you, _tat_?” Bacara remarked, raising an eyebrow. “Anyway, call me ‘cautiously optimistic.’ I can’t say that Neyo’s totally wrong, but I also agree that the Jedi are important to the Republic and are invaluable on and off the field.”

“I trust them,” Wolffe said, as though considering any other option was absurd. “Even if it’s just General Koon. He’s never let me down and I doubt he ever will. I don’t doubt that Cody would say the same about General Kenobi.”

“General Unduli isn’t the warmest of individuals,” Gree said. “But she’s an effective leader. There’s no way she’d ever betray the Republic. I think we all know what Bly would say if he were here.”

“Well, Bly’s biased,” Doom chuckled. “But I don’t think he’d be wrong. No Jedi I’ve ever met would do what Krell did.”

“Hear, hear,” nodded Keller.

“I agree,” Rex said. He couldn’t think of Skywalker or Ahsoka turning like Krell had. It was inconceivable. “Still, I think we should be taking a more critical approach to our command structures. We need to think about what plans we’re given before we act as opposed to blindly following someone else’s lead. We can stick to the chain of command, but we need to start thinking for ourselves.”

It was silent for a few moments.

“Rex,” said Keller, almost bracingly, “we’re still clones. We can’t disobey orders we’re given by the generals. Even if we don’t like them, we need to follow them. That’s just how it is.”

“Any different and we could be written up,” Neyo said. “Or worse: court-martialed for insubordination.”

“There has to be another way,” Rex insisted. “I didn’t question Krell’s leadership despite having every opportunity and reason to do so. I ignored all the warning signs because he was a Jedi and because I thought I had no choice but to stick to the chain of command. We have to be better than that!”

“Don’t you think you’re overreacting?” Bacara asked, looking skeptical. “I mean, I understand what you went through must’ve been rough, but you suggesting that we change the way we think about the entire structure of the military. That’s a bit much.”

They didn’t get it. Why didn’t they get it?

“I’m not suggesting you question every single order that comes through,” Rex said. “I’m just telling you to listen to your gut if you feel that an order is wrong or is too dangerous and risks incurring unnecessary casualties. I trust the Jedi, but I still think we have to change for the better.”

“I see what he’s saying,” piped up Doom “Makes sense to me. If anything prevents another Umbara from happening to someone else, I don’t see the harm in it.”

“I agree,” said Wolffe slowly, nodding. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that war isn’t exactly like we were taught on Kamino. Neither is the military structure. Sometimes, we get orders that are dangerous; even if the person giving them means well. We need to be able to recognize when that happens.”

“And what would you do if it did?” asked Gree.

“Raise my opinion to the officer in question,” said Doom. “Tell them why it’s a bad order and suggest changes that would benefit both the plan and the men carrying it out.”

“This is war,” Neyo said. “Sometimes extremely dangerous plans need to be carried out. That’s just how it is. We all know the risks.”

“But that doesn’t mean we should take those risks needlessly,” Doom said. “We still deserve to live.”

“We live in service to the Republic,” Keller said. “That’s it.”

“There’s got to be more to it than that,” Rex said. “We’re still people, aren’t we? We’re not droids.”

“Can’t we all just get along?” Gree said, throwing his arms up into the air. “I thought we logged onto this call to spend time together, not shout each other down over our political beliefs.”

“There’s a bit more to it than that, isn’t there?” Doom said, shaking his head.

“Gree’s still got a point,” Wolffe said. “I think we all need to cool our jets a bit. Right?”

“Sure,” Neyo shrugged.

“Fine by me,” Keller nodded. “Rex?”

Rex frowned. He wanted to keep at it. Say more. Make them understand. But was now really the time for that? And even if he kept at it, would they listen?

_You need to pick your battles, Captain. There’ll be another time._

“Yeah, yeah,” he said, waving one hand dismissively. “I’ll cool it.”

“Good,” Gree said. “Let’s just take it easy.”

There was silence for a few seconds.

“So,” Keller said. “Has the Five-Oh-First been taken off probation yet?”

“Actually, yes,” Rex said. “After a long review of my, Cody’s, and Fives’ reports, the footage that Joc and Denal collected, and everything Kenobi, Skywalker, and Commander Tano had to say about what they saw, the Senate and the GAR ended up letting us off the hook. Still have Dogma, though. We’re on-deck and ready to be deployed whenever they need us now.”

“Sounds like you got lucky,” Bacara remarked. “But at least you’re back now.”

“No,” Rex sighed. “No, I don’t think we did.”

The door to Rex’s office opened.

“Sir?” He looked up to see Appo standing there, looking in. “There’s a Jedi here to see you. Says her name’s Tur-Mukan.”

“Let her in, Lieutenant,” Rex said. Appo left. He glanced back at the holoscreen. “Listen, I’ve gotta go. I’ll talk to you all later, alright?”

“Alright,” Keller nodded. “Good luck out there.”

“See you, Captain,” Wolffe nodded.

Rex cut the link and leaned back in his chair just as the door opened again and in stepped a young woman clad in Jedi robes. She was somewhat short, with long, auburn hair and green eyes flecked with amber. She looked around the office, seeming somewhat apprehensive.

“General Tur-Mukan,” Rex said, waving her over. “It’s good to see you.”

“Likewise, Captain Rex,” said the Jedi, striding over and taking a seat across from him. “Though, I must admit I am unsure as to why you wanted to meet with me of all Jedi. I don’t believe we’ve ever spoken before, and I usually serve with the Thirty-Fifth.”

“No, ma’am, we haven’t,” Rex nodded. He leaned forward, placing his forearms onto the desk and clasping his hands together. “And yes, I know. I’ve met Commander Levet a handful of times.”

“I see,” the general nodded. She raised an eyebrow. “But . . . why do I get the feeling that this isn’t strictly a military meeting?”

“Er, because it’s not, ma’am,” Rex said. He was a bit unsure of how to proceed. He knew what he needed to ask but . . . how to go about it? Would she trust him? “I, er, spoke with Captain Ordo not too long ago about some . . . sensitive matters. He advised me that I should bring it up with you as well.”

“And this subject would be . . .?”

Rex hesitated. “The, er . . . the _special project_ that’s being worked on right now. The one on Kamino.”

One of her eyebrows twitched. Her eyes darted left. She crossed one leg over top of the other. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Captain,” Tur-Mukan said.

Rex could spot a liar from ten klicks away. It also helped that he felt the Force shift around her. Condensing. Hardening. As if it were trying to tell him that the mood in the room had just taken a chilly turn.

_Yeah, I could’ve figured that one out for myself, thanks._

“The one about stopping our advanced aging,” Rex said, lowering his voice a tad. He didn’t expect his own officed to be bugged, but this was still something he didn’t want to be discussing at a normal volume nonetheless. “I know what’s going on. Ordo trusted me enough to tell me about it.”

“You know . . . everything?” the Jedi asked, raising one eyebrow.

“Well, not _everything_ ,” Rex clarified. “I know that you’re involved. And I know that they have a man stationed on Kamino that’s gathering intel. He didn’t say if any significant progress has been made, but I assume the answer is ‘not much.’”

“Hm,” Tur-Mukan said, her eyes narrowed. She stared at him for several long moments. Then, she seemed to decide to trust him. “You’re right. Mereel was on Kamino until a couple of weeks ago, looking for information.”

“Not anymore?”

“We pulled him out. His mission was to search for information on a rogue Kaminoan scientist: Ko Sai,” Tur-Mukan explained. “The Nulls managed to track her to Dorumaa. I’m actually working with Mereel on figuring out clone genetics so we can discover the cause of your aging and reverse it.”

“Wait,” Rex said, unable to believe his ears. “You’re telling me one of the Longnecks just left with him _willingly_?”

“Well, no. As I understand it, Mereel knocked her out with a nerf prod and kidnapped her. The Nulls have her in custody and are interrogating her.”

Rex mouth fell open. Knocked her out? Nerf prod? Kidnapped? Interrogating? Four phrases that certainly did not go well with ‘Kaminoan.’ If this was true and they were ever caught, heads would roll regardless of if this specific Longneck had gone rogue or not. And that was probably not an exaggeration.

“That’s –”

“Don’t tell me it’s against regulations,” the Jedi said, her mouth twitching toward a small smile. “I already know. When you’ve worked with Nulls and Commandos as long as I have, you get used to this sort of thing.”

“I . . . I guess,” Rex said, still a little put off. The Special Operations Brigade really was a whole different world.

“Why exactly did Ordo tell you to talk to me?” Tur-Mukan asked suddenly, leaning forward. “He could’ve told you all this himself.”

“I, er . . . I don’t know,” Rex admitted. “He said you had ‘personal reasons’ for getting involved. I’m not sure what he meant by that.”

Tur-Mukan stared at Rex for a long moment. So long that the silence became awkward.

Rex squirmed a little in his seat. He felt as though the Jedi was conducting some sort of exam. One that he was failing.

“You’ve not yet decided, have you?” she asked finally.

“Pardon?”

“You haven’t decided what you want to do with your life.”

“I’m a soldier, ma’am,” Rex said, confused. “That’s what I’m doing with my life.”

“I mean beyond the war,” Tur-Mukan clarified. “You don’t know what you might do after this is all over.”

“ _If_ this is ever ‘all over,’” Rex said, skeptical.

Tur-Mukan chuckled. “All wars come to an end, Captain,” she said, eerily echoing Fives’ words. She placed a hand over her abdomen, almost – Rex suspected – unconsciously. “I suspect Ordo wanted me to give you some . . . perspective. You’ve met Omega Squad, right?”

“Yeah . . .” Rex said, unsure where this was going. What did the commandos have to do with this? “Once. Strange bunch.”

“I find them likable enough,” Tur-Mukan said. “Darman in particular.” She gave him a significant look, her hand still resting on her stomach.

Rex’s eyes narrowed.

“No . . .” he muttered, shaking his head as his brain put two and two together. “There’s no _way_ . . .”

“Trust your instincts, Captain.” She was smirking now.

But this wasn’t funny.

“Are you both _out of your minds_?” Rex hissed, verging on hysteria. “And I thought _Bly_ was mad. This is . . . this is . . . Jedi aren’t allowed to have relationships, let alone . . . let alone . . .”

He couldn’t do it. He could not say it out loud.

Was his conditioning really so embedded as to stop him from even _speaking_ about what Etain Tur-Mukan was telling him was going on?

A Jedi and a clone. Not only in a relationship, but with a _child_. This would be a catastrophe. She’d be expelled from the Jedi Order. Darman would absolutely be killed. And the kid? Who knew? Was it the property of the Kaminoans? It was made from clone DNA . . .

“I’d like to stop you right there, Captain Rex,” Tur-Mukan said, raising one hand and leaning forward. “My son is mine and Darman’s. No one else’s.”

Rex blanched. He was sloppy; broadcasting his thoughts like that. Still, he was a bit put off. In any case, he knew that line of thinking was wrong, but he just couldn’t help himself. It was what he’d been taught all his life.

“I – I’m sorry,” he said, shaking his head. “It’s just a lot to take in. Believe it or not, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard of a Jedi and a clone getting into a romantic relationship, but this is just one step too far for me.”

“And why is that?” Tur-Mukan asked him, raising an eyebrow.

“Why?” Rex demanded, incredulous. “B-because it just _is_. Jedi aren’t allowed to have relationships, let alone _children_. Clones aren’t allowed to have relationships or children or anything! When – when you put those two together, things only get more dangerous!”

“Everything worth having involves some sort of risk,” the Jedi said, still maddeningly calm. “I . . . have my issues with the Jedi Code. I’ve come to believe that it is flawed and limits us too much. We are the same Jedi order that the saw the reclamation of the Old Republic, and I think that’s a problem. I’ve also found that I strongly disagree with the Republic’s treatment of the clones. I think we’re making several grave mistakes forcing you all into combat.”

“So . . . you plan on leaving?” Rex asked.

“I do,” she nodded. “But only once the war is over. I have a duty to fulfill. After that, I will leave and be with my family. With my son and with Darman.”

Rex frowned. This was a lot to take in. He needed to refocus. He could think about the ramifications of this situation later.

“Do you really think you can find a cure for our aging?” he asked.

Tur-Mukan folded her hands over her lap. “With time,” she said, “I do. It depends on how cooperative our guest is and how complex the genetics are. Naturally, the Nulls are the only ones working on the problem given how secretive this is. They’re learning, but slowly.”

“Can you let Ordo know to keep me informed?” Rex tried. “I’m . . . interested in the outcome. Perhaps I can even find a way to be of some assistance.”

“I will, Captain,” Tur-Mukan nodded, smiling. She was nice enough. Pretty, too. A _vod_ certainly could’ve done a lot worse. “I’ll give you his personal comm frequency; for ‘less conventional’ calls. I hope you reconsider your stance on exactly what a clone can and cannot do. It seems as though you have your own situation to work out.”

Rex raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know what you mean, ma’am.”

“Yes,” Tur-Mukan said, smirking once more. “I think you do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Adults Are Talking - The Strokes
> 
> Well, that's that. Hope everyone's ready for Zygerria lol


	45. I Started Something I Couldn't Finish

**Republic Gunship, in-atmosphere over Kiros**

Wearing a pair of modified driving goggles that fit around her lekku, Ahsoka sat at the ready in the gunner’s seat of one of their modified BARC speeders as the LAAT/i piloted by Hawk descended through the cloud layer towards the planet below.

Ten rotations ago, Master Yoda had a conversation with Governor Roshti – the leader of a peaceful colony of Togrutas on Kiros. Despite Yoda offering to send Republic aid, he had been informed that the Separatists had already arrived on the planet. There had been no contact since. Fearing that something bad had happened, the 501st and 212th had been roused and deployed, along with Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka.

This mission was going to be personal.

Jedi or not, Ahsoka still felt some connection – however slim – to her people. If Dooku had done something to them, she was not only going to make sure to help in any way she could, but she was also going to make him pay.

Hopefully, it didn’t come to that.

“Approaching the drop zone, sir!” announced Hawk over the intercom. “Get ready to disembark.”

“Will do, Hawk,” Anakin said, sitting just beside Ahsoka in the driver’s seat. “You seeing anything on the scanners?”

“Mm, negative,” Hawk replied. “Cody’s confirmed that there’re no CIS ships in the system, and I’m not picking up any signs of an ambush, but I’m not seeing any biosigns, either. No sign of the locals.”

“Strange,” Anakin muttered, shaking his head. “Any signs of a fight?”

“Nada,” Hawk confirmed. “No smoke, no destroyed buildings, no bodies. At least, nothing I can see from up here.”

“I don’t like this,” Ahsoka said. “Something feels off.” The whole place felt strangely empty. Like there was nothing for them down there. Like it was . . . apprehensive.

“I know,” Anakin said, looking over at her. “This is probably a trap somehow, but we were expecting that. You gonna be okay on this one? These are your people.”

“I’ll be okay, Master,” Ahsoka said. She would have to be if she wanted to help the Togrutas down there. “Let’s just worry about the colonists.”

“If you say so,” Anakin said, smirking.

“We’re at the drop point,” Hawk called. “Disengaging!”

The hatch at the rear of the gunship slid open, allowing Anakin to pilot the speeder out of the troop bay and out into the open. Bright, midday sun almost blinded Ahsoka, and she reached up to push her goggles onto her forehead.

As Anakin paused to wait for the rest of their strike force to disembark, Ahsoka glanced around. The grass was lush and a few well-kept trees dotted the streets of the city they’d landed in. The buildings themselves were mostly one-story tall, aside from a few larger ones here and there and the large tower in the center of the place. Each structure was curved in some way, whether that meant rounded walls or some sort of leaf-like overhang that sat above the roof.

Yeah, they certainly were a colony of artists, alright. And that was apparently the reason why they were targeted. Because they were ‘easy pickings.’

Around them, the other gunships touched down, allowing other clones on BARC speeders to join up, along with men on foot. An AT-TE was set down ahead of them, its rear platform descending to allow a few AT-RTs to activate and walk out. Just across from Anakin and Ahsoka, Obi-Wan piloted his own speeder out of another gunship, with Rex sitting in the gunner’s seat.

This would be the 501st’s first mission after Umbara. For their sake – as well as her own – she hoped it wouldn’t be too much of an ordeal.

Satisfied that they were organized enough to begin sweeping the city, Anakin gunned the engine and their speeder shot off down the dirt street. Ahsoka took a moment to lower her goggles once more, then made sure that the cannon in front of her was primed and ready to fire. There was no telling what they were going to run into, and she wanted to be prepared for anything.

As the speeders took the lead, whizzing down street after street, the general sense of unease Ahsoka had felt aboard the gunship intensified into an ever-present feeling of dread. Nothing was happening. No droids. No colonists. Nothing.

“Anybody else think it’s too quiet?” she asked, her wristcomm already open to their chosen frequency. “I haven’t seen any colonists.”

“They’re probably hiding,” Anakin said.

Somehow, Ahsoka didn’t think so.

Obi-Wan pulled ahead so that he and Rex were driving along just beside them. “Let’s hope they stay hidden,” he said. “It makes our job easier if we don’t have to worry about them in battle.”

“I don’t like it,” Rex said, shaking his head. “The clankers have never been shy about using civvies as living shields.”

“I’m sure they’re here somewhere,” Anakin said. “Let’s make for the city center.”

And so they kept on forward, passing through more streets as they made their way closer to the main tower.

Then, suddenly, Ahsoka saw movement ahead.

Pushing up her goggles, she saw a squad of commando droids on Flitknot speeder bikes round the corner at the end of the street and form up, wielding E-5 blasters one-handed. She was almost relieved. This, at least, was something that made sense. A Seppie ambush. After all the strangeness of there being no warships around and the civilians going missing, a straightforward fight really was a nice change of pace.

“Biker droids – dead ahead,” she warned, reaching forward and prepping the speeder’s gun.

“Squad, tighten up,” Anakin barked, snapping into command-mode. “Form on me.”

The seven BARCs behind them – plus Obi-Wan and Rex – tightened their formation, pulling into a close pod as they drew closer to the commandos. The droids revved their engines and surged forward, racing straight towards the oncoming Republic forces. Rex – naturally – was the first to open up with the automatic laser cannon mounted on the sidecar he rode in. Instantly, one of the oncoming droids burst apart in a shower of fire and sparks.

But then, the droids started shooting back, immediately catching one of the men in the chest and sending him flying off of his speeder, which stalled and crashed into the ground, causing the rest of the squad to swerve to avoid hitting the wreckage. The clones opened fire with their blaster cannons and took out another droid.

Ahsoka stood in her seat, drawing her lightsabers and deflecting several oncoming blaster bolts as the droids drew closer, saving her own life and possibly the lives of a few men behind her. Beside her, Anakin drew his own weapon with his off-hand. As they passed the lead commando droid, he slashed to the left, cutting open a long swath in the clanker’s speeder and causing it to fail and crash into the ground, taking another commando with it as the wreckage flew backward.

Ahsoka turned and watched as the four remaining commando droids whizzed past them. Once they reached the end of the street, they stopped, turned and gunned their engines again.

They were now facing an assault from the rear.

Ahsoka raised her lightsabers yet again and took a defensive posture as more blaster bolts came her way. The droids drew closer once more, one of them taking the opportunity to ram into a clone, upending his speeder and sending him flying. At this speed, there was little chance he survived.

Changing tactics, she deactivated her ‘sabers and hopped into the gunner’s seat once more. Activating the swivel mechanism, she turned the sidecar 180-degrees so that the blaster cannon was facing the rear of the speeder. Taking half a second to aim, she opened up with the weapon and sent several shots into the front of the lead droid’s speeder, causing it to explode. Beside her, Rex did the same, his own barrage killing one droid and sending its speeder careening into a second, taking them both out.

The final commando pulled up beside Ahsoka and leveled its blaster at her.

_Oh, no you don’t._

She leaped out of her seat and onto the back of the droid’s speeder. Drawing her shoto, she grabbed the top of the clanker’s head and sliced her weapon across its fragile neck, decapitating it.

Then, just before the speeder failed and crashed, she jumped back into the now rear-facing sidecar and resumed her seat. Looking back, she saw that no more droids were pursuing them. They’d held them off.

“We’re all clear, Master,” she reported to Anakin, hitting the activation key that caused her seat to rotate back toward the front.

“Nice work,” Anakin said, glancing sideways at her. “Get ready, we’re coming up on the main stretch. There’ll likely be more forces waiting for us there.”

And he was right, of course.

As the Jedi and clones rounded another corner and came out onto a wide, dirt street that led toward the main tower, Ahsoka saw the sizable force that had assembled and was waiting for them. A platoon of battle droids, a few commandos, and a pair of AATs.

No sweat.

Upon drawing closer, everyone started firing their weapons at once. The droids raised their blasters, the clones fired the cannons on their BARCS, and Ahsoka started shooting her blaster cannon as Anakin and Obi-Wan did the same. Rex, on the other hand, reached back and withdrew a shoulder-mounted rocket launcher. He sighted up and, without much pause, fired a rocket right toward the left AAT as it was swiveling its main cannon to fire upon the Republic forces.

He hit it right in its turret, causing the whole tank to explode in a blazing fireball that took a sizable chunk out of the enemy.

Good ol’ Rex. She’d just have to outdo him.

Grinning to herself, she stood and reached into her belt, withdrawing a pair of thermal detonators. Using the speeder as a springboard, she leapt up into the air toward the last remaining tank as they closed in on it. She landed at its base, used her momentum to propel herself up onto its side cannon, then hopped up onto its top.

It was rather lucky that the droid inside had decided to leave the uppermost canopy open, as it saved her the trouble of having to pry it open with the Force.

Instead, she spun, tossed both of her detonators inside the vehicle, and leapt back up into the air, pulling off a near-perfect landing as Anakin swerved his speeder to a stop just past the enemy lines. Glancing back, she watched as both detonators went off, destroying the tank from the inside.

Not bad, if she did say so herself.

The rest of the droids had already been reduced to molten slag, and Obi-Wan and the 501st men on speeders were pulling up alongside Anakin.

“Captain, have your men secure the area,” the Jedi Master ordered, looking over at Rex, who nodded obediently.

It was time to figure out what the Separatists were doing here and find where the civilians were hiding.

But for some reason, Ahsoka still felt uneasy . . .

* * *

Several minutes later, Ahsoka found herself setting up a long-range comms station next to one of the numerous AT-TEs they’d moved into position on the main drag. Both the 501st and 212th had moved secured the place in force and were in the process of setting up a staging area.

Behind her, she heard the mechanized clack of large feet moving past; more walkers.

“How are we doing, Boil?” asked Obi-Wan approaching.

Looking up and behind her, she saw Boil and Wooley approaching on AT-RTs, probably back from a short scouting run.

“We’re still mopping up clankers here and there, sir,” the clone reported, bringing his vehicle to a stop and looking down at the Jedi. “We’ve established a perimeter around the Governor’s Tower. No one gets out without a fight.”

“Good work,” Obi-Wan nodded, turning away. If there were any Separatist forces, they’d likely be in the tower. It made the most sense as a base of operations, and they’d made quite the show defending it. “Cody, any word from the Separatist commander?”

Cody himself had just walked up. “He’s barricaded inside,” he said, jerking his head back toward the tower. “His name is Darts D’Nar. He’s sent you a message, sir.” Reaching into his belt, he removed his handheld holoprojector and held it out towards Obi-Wan.

He flicked it to life, and the image of the Separatist leader flickered to life in holographic blue. Darts D’Nar was a tall, almost cat-like being, with fur that stuck out from his head and jaw. He was dressed in light armor of a sort and had an unmistakable air of superiority about him. Something in his posture and dress screamed ‘ancient and opulent.’

Ahsoka could already tell that they weren’t going to get along.

“Master Kenobi,” the image said in a deep, luxurious voice, “come to the tower. We will negotiate terms for surrender.”

“Well, that was easy,” Obi-Wan remarked, shrugging.

Suddenly, the holoprojector was yanked out of Cody’s hand and flew away. Anakin, who was stalking closer, caught it in his right – mechanical – hand and crushed it, a look of absolute rage clouding his features. Snarling, he tossed the broken device to the ground.

“Zygerrian _scum_ ,” he spat. “I’ll handle that slaver.”

Ahsoka’s mouth fell open. She’d never seen her master that riled up before. Not even when facing Dooku or Ventress. What had gotten into him?

“Anakin, he asked for _me_ ,” Obi-Wan said, stepping toward his old Apprentice. “I need you to locate the missing Togruta colonists.”

There was silence for several tense moments. Was Anakin going to disobey?

“Fine,” he said, though he didn’t look too happy about it. “I’ll have Admiral Yularen initiate a planetary bio-scan.”

And with that, he turned and stomped away, his hands noticeably clenched into fists. R2-D2, rolled over, whistling mournfully, then followed him.

Ahsoka stood and looked over at Obi-Wan. “Why’s _he_ so upset?” she asked. And he’d gone into this mission thinking _she’d_ be the one not at a hundred percent.

“Anakin has never talked about his past, has he?” Obi-Wan asked, raising an eyebrow as he turned to her.

_Ha._

_That’s funny._

“Only to tell me he won’t talk about it.”

“As a child, Anakin and his mother were sold into slavery by the Hutt clans,” Obi-Wan told her, his expression grave.

It was like he’d just given her the last piece to a puzzle she’d been trying to piece together for the better part of three years: the strange, apparently tragic origin story of Anakin Skywalker. Well, being sold into slavery was one hell of a story. No wonder he didn’t want to talk about it. What had it been like? She certainly hoped she’d never know. And she wouldn’t wish it on anybody else.

“Oh . . .” she muttered. “And these Zygerrians, they’re slavers?” Why else would he have such a reaction?

Obi-Wan just nodded. “Anakin has struggled to put his past behind him,” he said.

Ahsoka sighed. “Don’t worry,” she said. “I’ll keep an eye on him.” She glanced over to where he was standing: beside one of the stationary AT-TEs as R2 projected a hologram of Admiral Yularen in front of him. His posture was still rigid, his arms folded over his chest and his brow furrowed.

What was he thinking about?

The Force around him was stormy; filled with pain and anger and regret.

“Yes,” Obi-Wan agreed. “Make sure you do.”

* * *

Obi-Wan took the main lift up to the top of the tower.

Slavers. It just _had_ to be slavers.

After their business with the Hutts early in the war, Obi-Wan had hoped that Anakin had managed to finally bury all the anger and guilt that his early life had left him with. Apparently, that had not been the case. Anakin always was one to not let things go. And it rarely served him well. This would surely be a very complicated mission for him.

Hopefully, keeping him well away from the Zygerrians would help things along.

Speaking of . . .

“I’m going to make the Jedi _pay_ for their arrogance,” snarled the same voice that had invited him in to ‘negotiate’ as the ceiling above Obi-Wan slid open and the platform he was standing on drew ever closer to the uppermost chamber. “I have them right where I want them.”

He needed to focus.

Anakin could take care of himself. And, failing that, Ahsoka would be there to keep him at least somewhat balanced.

Right now, he needed to find a way to keep the situation with the Separatists and Zygerrians from getting any worse. Figure out what their motives were.

He composed his face into something more controlled. “Do tell,” Obi-Wan said as he appeared into the room, wearing his most knowing, most confident smirk. Immediately, a pair of commando droids turned on him, raising their blasters and keeping them leveled at him. He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

The room was spacious and made mostly of gold-tinged metal and transparasteel. Cages filled with all sorts of animals from the planet were scattered about, along with what appeared to be several different Togrutan artifacts of various sizes and forms. At the opposite end of the room, Darts D’Nar sat behind what appeared to be the governor’s desk, petting a Kiros Bird and flanked by a tactical droid. Just behind him was a floor-to-ceiling window that took up the entire rear wall of the tower, and speaking to him over a hologram was another Zygerrian that Obi-Wan didn’t recognize and none other than Count Dooku.

All eyes turned to regard him.

“Gentlemen, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Knight,” intoned the holographic Dooku, frowning. The unknown Zygerrian beside him bared his fangs and growled. Dooku turned back to D’Nar. “D’Nar, bring him to me . . . on his knees.”

“With pleasure,” grinned the Zygerrian, stroking his bird’s feathers. He reached forward and shut off the transmission. The holograms disappeared.

_Well, no need to talk about me as if I’m not here._

“We were going to discuss surrender?” he asked, making his way forward, still aware that the pair of commando droids were keeping him in their sights.

“Yes,” D’Nar said, smiling openly. He swung his legs up and placed them on the table. “ _You_ will surrender.”

“We obviously have a misunderstanding, my friend,” Obi-Wan said. Something was going on here. If he was so confident in his position, he had to have some sort of plan or insurance policy. As casually as he could, Obi-Wan lowered his hands and folded them behind his back. As he did so, he pressed the ‘transmit’ key on his wristcomm, automatically dialing Anakin’s comm frequency. With any luck, his former Padawan would hear everything that was going on in the tower. He just needed to goad D’Nar into playing his hand.

That shouldn’t be too hard.

“No, you are wrong, Jedi,” D’Nar said.

“Am I?” Obi-Wan asked. “You are no doubt aware your droid forces have been destroyed and you are surrounded. Do the honorable thing and give up now, D’Nar. I promise you will receive fair treatment.”

“You’ve broken through my defenses,” allowed D’Nar. “You think you’ve won. Think again. I have planted bombs all over the city. No one will survive. Now, surrender.”

Bombs.

Obi-Wan kept his reflexive frown hidden. That would certainly complicate things. Especially since they had no idea where the Togrutas were. Not only were their own forces in danger, but the civilians as well. Still, this could simply be an easy trick.

“If you’re not bluffing, then I must concede,” Obi-Wan said, “but you’ll have to make considerations. First, you have to release the colonists.” If he was going to surrender, he needed to at least secure the safety of the innocent.

“Here is my counteroffer,” D’Nar said. He waved his hand.

The tactical droid beside him wordlessly raised a small device with a button atop it. Holding it in one hand, it used its other to smash the button in.

The explosion from outside was loud enough and powerful enough that Obi-Wan both heard and felt it from all the way up in the office. Whirling around, he ran to the opposite side of the room, which was another floor-to-ceiling window, and gazed down at the street below. Sure enough, one of the buildings right next to the Republic’s staging area had exploded in a fiery cloud, throwing debris and smoke directly into their vehicles and troops.

How many of their men had D’Nar just killed? How many civilians?

“There were no colonists in that structure,” D’Nar said, “but there could have been.” So. He was not bluffing. “Now, bow down and surrender to me, you Jedi filth.”

If he wanted to play it safe and play for time, what else could he do?

“Very well,” he said, crossing back to D’Nar and placing his lightsaber on the desk in front of him. “I surrender.” He backed away, raising his hands once more.

D’Nar nodded and smirked, no doubt satisfied that his plan was seemingly coming together very nicely.

“Long before this war,” he said, “you Jedi destroyed the great Zygerrian Slave Empire.” He stood. “I would kill you now, but Dooku would prefer you alive.” He began to circle the table, coming closer.

“I . . . understand your frustration,” said Obi-Wan, still trying to be as diplomatic as he could. There was no telling what might set him off. Then again, there was perhaps a way to turn this situation in his own favor. “It is unfortunate you and I cannot resolve our differences as you do in the Zygerrian tradition.”

D’Nar locked eyes with him, suddenly alert. He released his bird, allowing it to take off and fly away towards the nearby cages. Then, he folded his hands behind his back and laughed uproariously as he approached Obi-Wan.

“With no weapons, you would fight me?” he scoffed.

Obi-Wan met his gaze. “For good reason,” he said. “Say, if I win, you reveal the location of the colonists and the bombs.”

D’Nar was quiet for a moment, thinking it over. “And if I win,” he said, “I’ll deliver you to Dooku in a cage, like one of these filthy creatures.” He gestured to the cages, wherein sat numerous species that not even Obi-Wan immediately recognized.

“Perhaps.”

Without warning, D’Nar grabbed Obi-Wan by the front of his robes and lifted him up into the air. He brought him forward and rammed his own head into the Jedi’s, delivering a blow that sent stars flashing in front of his eyes and pain shooting through his skull. Then, he reared back and threw him across the room, sending him sliding across the ornately designed floor.

Gasping and groaning, Obi-Wan barely had time to regain his senses and push himself up onto his elbows before D’Nar had closed the distance, grabbing him once more and yanking him up into the air before slamming him onto the ground once more. Scarcely pausing, he took hold of the front of Obi-Wan’s robes and tossed him across the room once more, sending him sailing into some sort of marble sculpture, which cracked under his weight and left him sprawled in a heap beside one of the cages.

The creature inside began rattling about and shrieking, agitated.

That made two of them.

“Careful,” D’Nar taunted. “You’re disturbing my pets. They fetch a high price.”

_This is going to be a long, drawn-out, painful distraction, isn’t it?_

* * *

“I need a medic over here!” Anakin bellowed, kneeling over a barely moving 501st trooper.

Ahsoka, Anakin, and Cody were struggling to get a handle on the situation in the aftermath of the sudden explosion of one of the nearby buildings, which had wrecked several of their BARC speeders and AT-RTs, taken out on of their AT-TEs, and had killed and injured a number of troopers that had yet to be calculated.

As Kix sprinted past Ahsoka to tend to the fallen man, she crouched down next to Threepwood, who was slumped against one of the overturned AT-RTs with several bits of shrapnel embedded in both his bodysuit and chestplate. He was certainly in a lot of pain, but as long as the medics got to him, he’d probably make it.

“Artoo, where are you?” Anakin said, prompting the little astromech to roll up, beeping alertly. “Watch yourself, buddy. This is still a warzone.” He glanced over at Cody, who was checking on a nearby trooper draped over another AT-RT, very clearly dead. “Cody, we don’t have time for the planetary scan. Hook Artoo up and he’ll locate the bombs.”

“Right away, sir,” Cody nodded, standing.

“Ahsoka, let’s go,” Anakin ordered, striding past everyone else.

She placed one last comforting hand over Threepwood’s helmet, then stood and jogged to catch up to her Master, careful to avoid treading over any injured troopers or sharp pieces of metal.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“To disarm the bombs while Obi-Wan negotiates,” Anakin told her, walking toward two of their still-working AT-RTs. “I hope he can buy us some time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I Started Something I Couldn't Finish - The Smiths
> 
> Well, hope everyone's ready for this one


	46. The Age of the Understatement

**City streets, Kiros**

Ahsoka piloted her AT-RT just beside Anakin’s as the pair of them moved through the city streets. She knew how to pilot a walker, but it was still a bit strange. It bobbed up and down as it moved, and it took some focus to keep her vision straight.

“General Skywalker, your droid’s transmitting the bomb coordinates now,” Cody reported over the commlink.

The small viewscreen before her lit up with a map of the city. Several flashing red orbs appeared in various locations, each no doubt marking the location of a bomb.

“Copy that, Cody,” Anakin replied, raising his wristcomm to his mouth. “We’re approaching the first bomb now.” He lowered the comm device and glanced over at Ahsoka. “Let’s go.”

He didn’t need to tell her twice. If one of these bombs went off and there were still Togrutas hiding in the city, it would be a disaster. They might not have seen any civilians yet, but that didn't mean they weren't there. Ahsoka would _not_ let that happen.

She pushed the walker forward as Anakin led her through an alleyway. They emerged into some sort of plaza. Ahead, Ahsoka could see what appeared to be some sort of assembly building. In front of it was a squad of droids clustered around a fairly large, semi-circular geometric device covered in a tan shell. A few spikes and antennae protruded from it; almost certainly marking it as one of the bombs they were supposed to be disarming. As one, Ahsoka and Anakin opened fire with the AT-RTs’ front cannons, instantly taking out a pair of super battle droids that had turned and raised their firing arms toward them. By that time, the other droids had rallied and began shooting at the two Jedi. Knowing they had to get through them as quickly as possible, Ahsoka pushed her walker forward, skidded to a stop, and leapt off, drawing her lightsabers as she flew forward towards the bomb.

Only three regular battle droids guarded it. This would be a piece of cake.

She hit the ground just in front of the first droid and ducked under its arc of fire. She sprang forward, slicing right through its torso with her longer ‘saber before, jumping up and decapitating the second with her shoto. With one final spin, she sliced off the front of the last one’s blaster and taking its head off in one move.

Deactivating her weapons as Anakin drew closer with his walker, she took a small step forward and carefully – and slowly – placed her hands on what appeared to be a control panel on the upper hemisphere of the bomb. Now that she could focus, she heard it beeping slightly. Digging her nails underneath the metal, she gently lifted the panel off, revealing the inner workings of the thing to be a mass of wires, buttons, and metal.

The beeping turned into a high-pitched whirr.

Oh, how she wished they had the luxury of calling clone ordinance disposal. But there wasn’t time, so she and Anakin were going to have to figure this one out on their own.

“There must be a wire we should cut,” Ahsoka said, her eyes roving across the entire interior, looking for anything that jumped out as being important to the mechanism, “or something to stop the countdown.”

“Stand back,” Anakin said, coming closer after having dismounted his AT-RT.

_Uh, okay . . ._

_He’s good with machines. Maybe he actually knows how to disarm a bomb like this._

Ahsoka took a hefty step to the side, knowing that a bomb this size would still disintegrate her if she was this close when it went off. She’d just have to trust that Anakin knew what he was doing.

That was when he drew his lightsaber and, in two quick slashes, cut a horizontal ‘X’ across the surface of the bomb.

Ahsoka’s mouth fell open and she flinched, waiting for the sudden, violent end of her life.

But nothing happened.

Instead, the high-pitched noise petered off, and silence filled the air once more, broken only by the occasional spark that the now deactivated bomb let off.

Ahsoka let out a long, slow breath.

“Wow,” she said, amazed. “How did you know that would work?”

Anakin turned off his ‘saber and started walking back toward his AT-RT. “I trusted my instincts,” he said, shrugging.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. “You mean you guessed.”

“Yeah,” Anakin said, jumping back onto his vehicle, “but it was an educated guess. Now come on. There’s plenty more to go.”

Despite spending most of her life around clone troopers these days – now _there_ was an interesting bunch – Ahsoka had never met anyone more blasé about life-or-death situations.

* * *

Obi-Wan’s back hit the wall, and he barely had time to register the pain of that before he had to duck out of the way to avoid the large metal cage that flew across the room after him. It hit the wall where his head had been only a split second before, cracking the transparasteel that coated it.

Darts D’Nar pushed past the cage as it fell to the ground and made ready to fight again.

Obi-Wan reared back one fist and punched him straight across the face. His head jerked to the side, and Obi-Wan felt the impact of his gloved knuckles against fur and flesh, but the Zygerrian barely seemed injured. Only a split-second later, he was focused on Obi-Wan once more, grinning.

_Oh, dear . . ._

He made to throw another punch, but this time D’Nar actually caught his fist in one hand. The slaver’s grip was as hard as durasteel, and he twisted Obi-Wan’s arm painfully, causing him to lean down instinctively to avoid a break. Only that apparently played right into D’Nar’s hand, as he struck out with one knee as hard as he could, catching Obi-Wan in the chest and knocking all the breath from his lungs.

Gasping and momentarily stunned, he collapsed onto the ground at D’Nar’s feet.

He didn’t even have a chance to catch his breath before D’Nar reached down and grabbed the top of his head, pulling upwards once more.

“For thousands of years,” D’Nar growled, staring Obi-Wan in the eyes, “Zygerria supplied slave labor to the galaxy.”

_Oh, excellent. He’s monologuing now._

He tossed Obi-Wan forward, and – the breath slowly returning to his lungs – he managed to catch himself on his feet and stop from toppling right over again. But only just.

“We prospered.” He didn’t even see the blow coming. D’Nar had crossed to him in three quick steps and had delivered a stinging, powerful downward blow to the side of his face. “Our customers prospered.” Another blow. This one right to the top of Obi-Wan’s skull. Black stars momentarily flashed in front of his eyes, but he gritted his teeth and focused. He had to stay awake. Had to keep D’Nar occupied. “Then the Jedi came.”

With that, D’Nar thrust his fist so hard into Obi-Wan’s chest that he felt his feet leave the ground. He sailed backward and landed back-first into the governor’s desk. Again, D’Nar was suddenly right on top of him, not giving him the slightest opportunity to recover. He wrapped both hands around Obi-Wan’s throat and squeezed.

What little breath he had disappeared.

Then, suddenly, the holoprojector on the other side of the desk went off, and out of the corner of one eye, Obi-Wan could just make out the image of a battle droid. It caught D’Nar’s attention too, and he momentarily loosened his grip on the Jedi’s throat, allowing him some room to breathe.

“Uh, excuse me, sir,” said the battle droid. “We have a problem.”

“What problem?” D’Nar demanded, splitting his attention between keeping Obi-Wan pinned and speaking to the droid.

The droid was going to tell him about Anakin and Ahsoka. They must have been making progress taking out the bombs. Obi-Wan couldn’t allow him to know about that; he had to get the upper hand. He had to stop this.

While D’Nar was busy glancing over at the hologram, Obi-Wan lashed out with his left hand, catching the Zygerrian in the side of the head and pushing him into the desk. Seizing the opportunity, he slipped out of his enemy’s grasp and grabbed ahold of the back of his head with one hand. Pulling back, he drew all of his strength and used it to slam D’Nar’s face into the communicator, shattering it.

“Our spotters are tracking two enemy walkers moving –”

And the rest was lost.

Obi-Wan backed away as D’Nar whipped around, rage etched into his features as he bared his teeth and growled furiously.

He was certainly ticked off now.

Obi-Wan decided that being the ‘distraction’ was no fun at all. Perhaps, in the future, he should take it easier on Anakin when coming up with plans like this. Maybe that would even things out.

* * *

Ahsoka and Anakin had almost cleared out all of the bombs that R2-D2 had detected across the city. There had been nine in total, and now they were coming up on what seemed to be the last two bombs, which were right next to one another.

Droid resistance had steadily been increasing at each bomb as the tinnies gradually figured out what they were up to, so these would likely be the most guarded. Sure enough, as Ahsoka peered at the strange, curvy sculpture ahead of them and saw several squads of both regular battle droids and SBDs.

“These are the last of them,” Anakin said, pushing his walker ahead.

As the droids noticed them and began to open fire, Anakin had his AT-RT leap high into the air before plummeting downward landing right on top of one of the lead super battle droids. Without pause, he jumped out of the driver’s seat and drew his lightsaber, slicing open another droid and pushing forward toward the sculpture. Ahsoka did the same, stopping her own vehicle and jumping out before drawing her ‘sabers and rushing forward to meet the front line of droids. She slashed and jumped, dodged and deflected, cutting through droid after droid as she made her way through their lines toward the bombs; placed at the rear of the sculpture. Anakin was far ahead of her, already having reached the rear lines and leaving a swath of broken and sparking droid parts in his wake.

More SBDs emerged from the building ahead; reinforcements. Apparently, the droids were a little smarter than they gave them credit for – setting up a trap.

“Defuse the bomb,” Anakin ordered, standing in front of the two bombs and deflecting incoming fire from the droids. “I’ll cover you.”

It would have to do. They didn’t have time to deal with all these droids _and_ defuse the bomb. She’d just have to keep her head down and trust Anakin to keep her safe. She could certainly do that.

Deactivating her lightsabers, Ahsoka stepped forward and removed the main control panel from one of the bombs. Instantly, _both_ bombs started emitting that high-pitched whirr that signified that they were getting ready to go off.

_Stang._

“Master, I think the bombs are linked,” she shouted over the din of combat and the trilling of the bombs.

“You’re supposed to disarm them, not activate them!” Anakin said, pulling a droid towards him and cleaving it in two.

Motion tripped Ahsoka’s predator senses, drawing her attention upward. On the roof of a nearby building, she spotted a trio of super battle droids lining up and getting ready to fire.

“Droids!” she warned. “On the roof!”

As the newcomers opened fire, Anakin backed away as Ahsoka activated her lightsabers once more, the both of them deflecting blaster bolts as Anakin backed toward her.

“If they’re connected, we’ll have to defuse them at the same time,” Anakin said, taking position behind the second bomb.

As the two Jedi continued to defend themselves, a new threat appeared. A pair of sniper droidekas rolled up to the edge of the roof overlooking the sculpture and got into position, their front-mounted armor descending over their chassis in order to protect themselves from harm.

“Snipers!” Ahsoka warned.

The first droid zeroed in on her, firing shot after shot and forcing her to take several steps backward as she was put strictly on the defensive. Not even the blaster bolts she accurately deflected up towards the droid made a difference, as they simply hit the droid’s shell-like armor and fizzled out, doing no real damage. Anakin moved to help her but was quickly subdued by the second sniper droid as it honed in on him.

They were both pinned.

“The shields are too strong,” Ahsoka called out, taking an opportunity to sprint behind a nearby wall. Anakin did the same just across from her. So now they had cover, but they had droids raining blaster fire on them and a pair of bombs that were about to go off. So what now? “I’m pinned down. Master, we’re running out of time!”

They were going to fail. The bombs were going to go off and not only would they be killed, but so would any civilians hiding in the vicinity. People would die.

“I know,” Anakin said, looking over at her as blaster bolts slammed into the wall he was crouched behind, sending showers of sparks and stone flying out. “We have to do something, and quick.” His head disappeared momentarily. After a few seconds, he reappeared. “Ahsoka, they’re weak from the side. I’ve got an angle on your droid.”

Knowing what he was insinuating, Ahsoka ducked behind her own cover and backed up, peering over the top to glance up at the droid that had Anakin pinned. Indeed, she could see around the frontal shield of the droid and into the mechanical parts beneath.

“Okay,” she called, “I’ve got a view of yours, too. Same time. Ready?” She returned to her original position and looked over at Anakin.

He nodded. “Go!”

Both Jedi burst out of cover, now with a plan in mind. Anakin batted away the first shot that came his way, deflecting it up toward the droid that was shooting at Ahsoka. It hit home, ripping through the side of the droid and sending it toppling over, deactivated. Ahsoka did the same, swinging her lightsaber and deflecting one of the last few bolts that her droid had managed to fire up toward Anakin’s droid. Once again, the laser hit home and the droid was killed.

_Now the bombs._

She and Anakin instantly switched targets and ran towards the bombs, lightsabers raised. They reached them at the same time, swinging their weapons and cutting directly through the center of each device. The high-pitched whine lowered in volume and petered out as the bombs sparked and crackled.

“That was a close one,” Ahsoka sighed, deactivating her lightsabers as Anakin did the same and reaching up to wipe her brow. She didn’t even want to know how much time had been left.

“Let’s hope Obi-Wan shares our luck,” Anakin said, folding his arms and smirking.

* * *

Obi-Wan spun in the air and hit the floor once more, skidding a meter or so before coming to a messy stop.

He kept trying to ignore the pain, but every time his opponent landed a blow, it still managed to catch him off guard. He wasn’t going to be able to keep this up much longer. What was taking Anakin and Ahsoka so long?

D’Nar reached down and grabbed him by the tunic. Obi-Wan was suddenly lifted off the ground as the Zygerrian hoisted him high over his head. There was a momentary pause during which Obi-Wan dreaded the inevitable fall, and then he was slammed back down onto the floor with enough force to send a spiderweb of cracks out from his point of impact in the transparasteel.

Bruised and battered, Obi-Wan offered little resistance as D’Nar grabbed one of his boots and dragged him across the floor towards the window overlooking the Republic’s staging area. When they were close to it, he let go, circling Obi-Wan before once more wrapping one muscular hand around his throat and hoisting him up into the air.

“Now I will take revenge for my people, Jedi,” he snarled.

“Sir,” interrupted the tactical droid, walking over, “you have an urgent transmission.” It held up a small holoprojector, from which the image of a battle droid sprung to life.

“Sorry to interrupt, sir,” said the droid, “but you weren’t responding.”

D’Nar glared up at Obi-Wan, clearly infuriated by the distraction during what seemed to be his moment of triumph. “What is it?” he spat.

_Oh, please let this be salvation._

“Uh . . . the Jedi have disarmed your bombs,” reported the droid.

“What?” D’Nar bellowed. Before Obi-Wan had time to react, the slaver tossed him aside before storming toward the tactical droid. “Give me the detonator!”

As Obi-Wan slowly got to his feet, D’Nar snatched the detonator from the droid’s hands and ran towards the window, his thumb furiously pressing the button.

Nothing happened.

“It certainly took him long enough this time,” Obi-Wan muttered, brushing himself off.

With that, he turned towards the two commando droids still standing guard by the governor’s desk. Reaching out with the Force, he lifted them up into the air and – making a tight fist with his hand – crushed them. The two mechanical bodies crashed to the floor in mangled heaps.

Then, he reached out with his other hand, calling his lightsaber to him. It soared off the desk and into his outstretched palm.

“Well,” he said, turning back towards D’Nar, who rounded on him, “shall we discuss your surrender . . . again?” He ignited the lightsaber.

D’Nar hurried over to the tactical droid. “I still have one bomb left, Jedi,” he said.

_Of course he does._

D’Nar turned the tactical droid around to reveal a keypad on its back, no doubt linked to explosives planted within its chassis. He began entering the code.

“Sir, how could you?” the droid shouted in an oddly emotionless voice.

It began to beep erratically, the pitch ever-increasing. D’Nar hoisted the droid off the ground and threw it at Obi-Wan, who was too slow due to how sore he felt after the rather severe beating he’d just sustained. The droid landed on him, pinning him to the ground and allowing D’Nar several second’s head start.

By the time Obi-Wan had managed to push the droid off of him – after which and bobbed about, clawing at its back and shouting “get it off!” over and over again – D’Nar had retrieved his Kiros bird and had stepped onto the lift in the center of the room. With one final grin at Obi-Wan the lift took off and he disappeared into the floor.

One problem at a time.

Obi-Wan rounded on the droid and, mustering as much strength as he could, harnessed the Force and sent it flying through the frontal window of the tower. It exploded half a second later.

Instantly, his wristcomm was raised. “Anakin,” he said. “Anakin, come in. D’Nar is making his escape from the tower.”

“On our way.” The reply came almost instantly, as though Anakin were eager to get the chance of fighting the Zygerrian face-to-face.

As Obi-Wan made for the lift controls on the desk, he hoped that his former Padawan wouldn’t do anything too rash. If he had known exactly who they were facing off against, perhaps it would have been best if Anakin hadn’t been the one chosen to lead the assault. Then again, it was too late now. No use crying over spilled milk.

Ahsoka would reign him in. Wouldn’t she?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Age of the Understatement - The Last Shadow Puppets
> 
> In which Ahsoka and Anakin jaunt around defusing bombs and killing droids while Obi-Wan gets the crap kicked out him.  
> And everyone worries about the ticking time bomb of emotion that is Anakin Skywalker.


	47. For Reasons Unknown

**City Streets, Krios**

Ahsoka felt the jarring impact as her AT-RT landed heavily on the ground.

She and Anakin had jumped over a high wall and onto what seemed to be a large landing pad overlooking a large, forested valley. Ahead, she could see several cages clustered at the end of the pad, left abandoned as a huge, boxy ship retracted its landing gear and made ready to take off.

Surely, the ship belonged to D’Nar, who was about to make his escape.

_Not if we have anything to say about it._

Both Jedi darted across the landing pad on their walkers, passing Obi-Wan, who had emerged out of the tower to chase the Zygerrian but stopped halfway, undoubtedly knowing that he had no hope of boarding the ship.

But the walkers might.

As the ship began to fly away from the landing pad, Ahsoka and Anakin reached the end. Both made their AT-RTs jump right out over the valley. Then, using their vehicles as a springboard, the pair launched into identical Force-assisted jumps that sent them sailing far and high; up towards the ship.

They landed together on one of the ship’s main thrusters; mounted on the wide, flat wing on the starboard side of the ship. IF they wanted to stall the ship, they could certainly do it from here. Anakin seemed to be thinking along those lines, as he immediately drew his lightsaber and plunged it down into the durasteel plating they were standing upon.

There was an almighty rumbling from inside the ship and it shook dangerously. To Ahsoka’s right, the thruster sparked and popped as smoke suddenly poured from it. As the ship swayed in the air, the engines stalled, causing it to slow its flight tremendously. Both Jedi leapt off the thruster and onto the main surface area of the wing. Together, they carefully made their way to the front of the ship, which had a sharp, convex shape.

“So,” Ahsoka shouted over the wind and the sound of the stalling ship, “what’s your plan?” If Anakin had so quickly disabled the vessel, he obviously had some idea of what they should do next, right?

He looked a bit sheepish. “I’m open to ideas,” he said.

_You’ve got to be kidding me._

Before she could chew him out, the durasteel they were both resting on began to move. The lower part of the ship’s front split open, revealing what seemed to be a large storage bay. Ahsoka – who clutched onto a different hangar door than Anakin – glanced down as she was swung rather quickly to the side. It was a long way down to an unforgiving impact with either the ground or a tree.

_Now’s definitely not the time to find out if Togrutas really always land on their feet._

Focusing again, Ahsoka looked back at the hangar to see a small ramp extending forward. Anakin had already jumped off of his own door and onto the ramp. Swinging into the interior of the door, Ahsoka did the same, joining him on more stable ground.

Well, they had an entrance. Now they had to reach D’Nar before the ship crashed.

Turning to look into the hangar bay, Ahsoka saw that it was filled with cages. Each cage housed a different creature; Kiros birds, Hesten Monkeys, Momongs, and plenty that she couldn’t actually recognize. What really caught her attention, however, was the huge, armored Blixus housed behind a ray-shield on the opposite side of the room. Underneath the armor protruded a mass of tentacles. If Ahsoka remembered her species classes correctly, it was carnivorous.

Then the ray-shield deactivated.

Instantly, it scuttled forward a few paces on its pincer legs, shooting one of its tentacles forward to try and catch one of the Jedi. Both Ahsoka and Anakin sidestepped the first grab, as well as the two other tentacles that followed.

“Hold on!” Anakin warned.

Ahsoka ducked a tentacle that shot over her head, but at the same time felt something large and fleshy wrap around one of her legs. Sure enough, the beast had feinted and grabbed her when she hadn’t been expecting it. Glancing over, she saw that Anakin had a tentacle wrapped around his torso, holding his arms tight to his chest.

“Hold on?” Ahsoka scoffed. “Do I have a choice?”

Not looking to become some weird giant squid’s meal, she drew her lightsaber and slashed it across the tentacle that had wrapped around her foot, completely amputating the limb and allowing her to take a step backward out of its reach. The Blixus let out a scream of pain and seemed to grip Anakin tighter, hoisting him up into the air and slamming him against the cages on the left side of the hangar.

More tentacles made a grab for Ahsoka, and she dodged this way and that, jumping up onto another set of cages and using them to boost her height before she leapt onto the armored head of the creature.

_Sorry, buddy, but you’re too dangerous to be left alive._

Grabbing onto the shell, she raised her lightsaber and drove it deep into the side of the creature. She wasn’t sure if she hit anything vital, as she didn’t know much about Blixus biology, so she just had to hope for the best.

Apparently, this had been the wrong call.

The Blixus shrieked louder than it had before and shook violently, loosening Ahsoka’s grip and causing her to fall to the floor beside it, luckily out of its reach. She scrambled to her feet and backed against the side of the hangar, squeezing between the wall and the Blixus’ cage.

“Master!” she called out.

“Ahsoka, you’re only making it angry!” he shouted back, having ignited his lightsaber and managed to cut himself free of the creature’s grip. “I’ll handle this. Go stabilize the ship.” He dodged both tentacles and cages as the shuttering movements of the freighter caused several to topple over and fly out of the open hangar doors, no doubt dooming whatever creatures were inside.

As much as she wanted to help fight the Blixus, Ahsoka knew that their best bet was to get to D’Nar and stop this before things really got out of hand.

So, she deactivated her lightsaber and slipped around the rear of the Blixus’ cage, leaving Anakin to deal with it. Instead, she circled around to the rear wall of the hangar, which seemed to house a lift.

Pressing the button next to it, the doors slid open and she stepped inside. After a short ride, the lift opened once more, though this time behind her. Turning she saw that she had entered the ship’s cockpit. On the far end of the room was a pair of seats for a pilot and copilot. In one of the chairs, she saw a tall broad figure with cat-like ears seated, working the controls. He was so focused on monitoring the flight that he didn’t notice the sound of the lift doors opening.

_Good. Probably better to avoid a confrontation until after everything’s stable._

Ahsoka crept forward, glancing about at the various readouts and control panels that lined the walls. Somewhere, there was a set of buttons that controlled auxiliary altitude and stabilization in an event such as this one where one of the thrusters had been damaged. She was hoping that this ship – being a freighter – was built in a similar manner to the _Twilight_ , and would therefore have controls in a similar place.

_Let’s see . . ._

_It should be on the port side. Right about . . . there!_

Ahsoka stopped in front of a panel with several sets of buttons in different colors – red, green, and white – in a hexagonal pattern. Reaching up, she tapped in what she hoped would be the code to put the starboard thruster into low-power mode – slowing the entire ship and buying more time before it had to land. The moment she was done, there was a deep whirring sound from within the ship and it stopped shaking quite so violently, signifying that she had indeed been correct in her assumptions.

Unfortunately, that was also when D’Nar realized she was there.

As he spun around, he jumped up and out of his seat. Ahsoka instinctively drew back toward the lift door and grabbed her lightsaber off her belt. Grinning at her, D’Nar drew his own weapon: a long energy whip that glowed orange and crackled with electricity. It was going to do a lot more than sting if she was hit with it.

D’Nar chuckled. “Young Jedi,” he growled, “you’ll learn your place.”

Standing her ground, she reached into her belt and drew her shoto, flicking both blades to life and dropping into a ready stance. “I’m not so young anymore,” she shot back.

Snarling, D’Nar lunged at her. But she was ready for him. Reaching out with the Force, she pushed the Zygerrian back into the control panel at the front of the cockpit, slamming his back into the space between the two seats and stunning him. That was all the opening she needed.

Rushing forward, she held up both her ‘sabers and placed them at his throat in an ‘X’ formation. If he moved, she’d decapitate him.

“Got ya,” she said, triumphant.

Behind her, she heard the lift door open and felt Anakin’s presence enter the room. Reaching forward, she grabbed the slaver by the front of his armored tunic and slammed him against the side of the cockpit, her weapon still held against his neck. She turned to look back at Anakin.

“Mission accomplished, Master,” she reported.

As Anakin stepped forward and folded his arms across his chest, his deactivated lightsaber still held in one hand, Ahsoka took a step back, shutting off her own weapons. D’Nar was cornered now – there was no point in putting up any more fight.

“Where are the colonists?” Anakin asked, his voice low and dangerous.

“I will tell you _nothing_ ,” D’Nar said. Apparently, there was still some fight in him.

That was the wrong answer.

Before Ahsoka could do anything, Anakin reached forward and grabbed D’Nar by his tunic with one hand. With the other, he jammed his lightsaber against the side of his throat.

“Where are they?” he roared, rage pouring out of him.

Ahsoka saw her own shock mirrored on D’Nar’s face. Evidently, neither of them expected something like this from a Jedi. Ahsoka had been taught long ago that threatening executions during an interrogation was not the way they did things.

“Master!” she hissed, placing a hand on his arm.

She wanted to find the Togrutas as much as he did – if not more – but there was a certain way to go about it.

This was not it.

There was a long moment of tense silence during which Ahsoka actually had no idea what would happen. Would Anakin snap? Would D’Nar give up the information? What should she do?

Then, Anakin gritted his teeth and pushed D’Nar down into one of the pilot’s chairs. He stepped back, his lightsaber deactivated.

“My queen is going to bring back the royal slave auction as in the days before the Jedi,” D’Nar said. Ahsoka wasn’t sure if he was volunteering information or attempting to taunt them, but either would do. “Zygerria will be rich and powerful again. The Jedi will not stop us this time.”

Anakin huffed. “We’ll see about that.”

Ahsoka glanced between Anakin and Darts D’Nar. The momentary threat of violence had passed, but the air was still thick with tension. And anger.

One thing was for sure: this whole episode – whatever it was – wasn’t over. And Anakin would likely not stop pursuing this until the colonists were found. On the one hand, she loved him for that. She knew he would do whatever it took to find the Togrutas and keep them safe. On the other hand, that was exactly what she was worried about.

Anakin would do _whatever it took_ to find the Togrutas and keep them safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Reasons Unknown - The Killers
> 
> This is an unfortunately short chapter, but I couldn't find a way to pad it out. As a side note: I had to look up a Blixus for reference and got shown a lot more than I bargained for. Some you are really strange.
> 
> Haven't seen much of Rex lately, but he'll get a whole chapter to himself next.


	48. Softcore

**Republic staging area, Kiros**

Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka stood in front of R2-D2 as the astromech droid projected the images of both Admiral Yularen and the Jedi Council in front of them.

It had been a few hours since they’d taken the city and captured Darts D’Nar, but Anakin was still having a tough time keeping a handle on his rage.

Slavers.

After their deal with the Hutts back during the first year of the war, Anakin had hoped that he’d never have to deal with anything like them ever again. It already stung that the Republic turned a blind eye to most of the Hutts’ dealings unless things got too personal, but he could get over that. The Hutts had sided with the Republic concessions had to be made. He understood that. Plus, there was the fact that the GAR couldn’t afford to deal with the Hutts and the Separatists at the same time. It made logistical sense.

But the Zygerrians were something else.

Hutts weren’t exclusively slavers, even if they profited off the ‘industry.’ Zygerrians, on the other hand . . . It was what they were famous for.

If it were up to Anakin, he’d wipe out the lot of them. But he’d settle for whoever was connected to the events on Kiros.

For now.

“General Skywalker,” Yularen reported in his clipped, Core World accent, “I ran the bio-scan twice, but the results were negative.”

“Are you saying the colonists are not in the city?” Anakin asked, confused. It would certainly explain why they hadn’t found anyone yet, despite clone squads from both the 501st and 212th going through every building with a fine-toothed comb. Still, if that were true, it raised the question: where had they gone?

“I’m saying they’re not even on the planet,” Yularen clarified. “The entire population appears to have simply vanished.”

_Oh. Well, that makes things even more complicated, doesn’t it?_

“Vanished?” Ahsoka almost whispered, sounding horrified. “That’s impossible. Those are my people.”

If there was anyone who would understand Anakin’s need to get to the bottom of this, it would be Ahsoka. She had a personal stake in this, Jedi or not.

Master Yoda gave one of his deep ‘hmm’s. “Troubling is the return of the Zygerrians,” he said.

“It is likely they mean to use Dooku to rebuild their slaver empire,” Master Plo reasoned.

Probably. That seemed to concur with what D’Nar had confessed.

“We cannot allow that, Master,” Anakin said. Maybe he was stepping out of line by suggesting what course of action they took, but he didn’t care.

“Agree, I do,” Yoda nodded. “But first, find the colonists you must. In great danger they are.”

He glanced away, as though a thought had just occurred to him.

“What is it, Master?” Plo Koon prompted.

“Sense, I do, a darker hand in this mystery,” Yoda said. “Slavery, a great tool it is for the rise of the Sith.”

Well, that only gave Anakin all the more reason to see this through until the end.

* * *

Rex looked down at the holographic image of Cody that was projected from his communicator.

“No,” he said, “everyone else is packing up too. I dunno why Skywalker and Kenobi want me to stick around here.”

The rest of the 501st and 212th were busy packing up their gear, vehicles, and weapons for transport back to the cruiser and – by extension – Coruscant. Rex, on the other hand, had been ordered to stay behind and to wait at one of the shops. He leaned against the wall beside the front door, his helmet clipped to his belt as he was on the call with Cody.

It was strange just standing around in a city completely devoid of life. No civvies, no droids to fight; nothing at all. Especially since he now knew that the Togrutas had been kidnapped and likely forced into slavery somewhere. The building was still technically someone’s business and livelihood. They were just . . . gone.

“I think the Jedi are working on some kind of plan,” Cody said, glancing at something Rex couldn’t see beyond the range of the hologram. “Switch overheard something about Zygerria, but I’m not too sure.”

“Zygerria?” Rex asked. “As in the planet?” He knew the Zygerrians were the ones behind this, but going to their homeworld seemed like walking into the Rancor’s den.

 _This had better be_ some _plan._

Cody shrugged. “Like I said: I don’t know too much about it. Just that I’m not invited, apparently.”

“And I am, aren’t I?” Rex said, putting the pieces together. “Great.”

This sounded like some sort of undercover op. Something more fitting for an ARC trooper rather than him.

But, all the same, here he was.

“Guess so,” Cody said, smirking. “Have fun out there, Captain. You’ll have to tell me about it when you get back.”

“Gee, thanks,” Rex deadpanned, rolling his eyes. “I’ll talk to you later. Over and out.”

Cody flipped him a lazy salute, and the hologram disappeared. As Rex stowed the projector in his belt, movement nearby caught his attention. Looking over, he saw Ahsoka walking across the dirt street toward him, a white plastoid backpack held in her hands. She looked to be deep in thought and didn’t even acknowledge his presence as she drew closer.

“Hey, littl’un,” Rex said, pushing off the wall and taking a step toward her. “What’s going on? There a plan here?”

“Huh?” Ahsoka looked up, apparently only just realizing he was there as she reached the door of the shop. “Oh, uh . . . hey, Rex.” She pressed the door and it slid open, allowing her to step inside. “Yeah. Yeah, there is a plan.”

Rex followed her in. “And?”

 _She’s being_ real _cagey._

_I’m starting to get a bad feeling about this._

They entered into what seemed to be a clothing shop of some sort. It was a fairly spacious rectangular room, with various racks of multicolored, decorative-looking dresses, tunics, and loose fabrics lining the walls and the main floor. On the opposite side of the room, there was a low table that was most likely a check-out area, and there were a couple of doors here and there that probably led to restrooms and changing areas.

“Well,” Ahsoka said, “you, me, Anakin, and Obi-Wan are heading to Zygerria –”

“Great.”

“– so we can try to infiltrate the capital city and locate the missing colonists before anything bad happens to them.”

“Why just us?” Rex asked. “Why not roll up in force and hit ‘em hard? We could siege them and force them to tell us where the colonists are.” It seemed less risky than some hokey, spur of the moment plan to infiltrate an apparently powerful slaver planet.

That actually managed to snap Ahsoka out of her strange, distracted state. She rounded on Rex, one brow raised as she gave him an ‘I-can’t-believe-you-don’t-understand-the-bigger-picture’ look.

“How ‘clone’ of you,” she said flatly. “It’d be nice if we could solve all our problems by just pointing a blaster at someone’s head and asking real nicely, but that’s not how this works. Some things require a bit more finesse.”

“Meaning?”

Ahsoka took a deep breath. “Anakin’s gonna pose as a slaver who stole some Zygerrian armor and he’ll try to get an audience with the queen. You and Obi-Wan are gonna disguise yourselves, too, but you’ll try locating the missing colonists on your own. And, uh . . . I’m gonna pretend to be Anakin’s slave.” She glanced away.

“What?” Rex demanded, flabbergasted. “No way. That is _not_ happening.”

Ahsoka walked over to the front counter and set the backpack down on it. She turned toward Rex, leaning against the counter as she looked up at him.

“As much as I don’t like it, it makes sense,” she said. “I’m a Togruta. The Zygerrians are clearly in the market for Togrutas, which means it might be easier for Anakin to get an audience with the queen. They’ll wonder how he, uh . . . how he ‘got’ me.”

“I don’t like this,” Rex maintained, shaking his head. “There has to be another way. A _better_ way.”

He didn’t care if the plan ‘made sense.’ He cared that Ahsoka was being put into a position that was not only extremely uncomfortable but hit rather close to home for himself. He didn’t have to think too hard about what it would be like to be a slave – he was all too aware that he himself was living a rather similar life. The only difference was that he was made to fight droids instead of forced into hard labor.

“Rex, this is best we can come up with on short notice,” Ahsoka said, looking up at him, her face set with determination. She folded her arms. “Look, I’m not happy about this either, but I’ll do whatever I have to do if it’ll help us find my people. Every second we waste coming up with a plan of action is a second that they’re spending in bondage and suffering. What’s the deal? You don’t think I can handle it? I’m not a kid, Rex!”

Rex raised his hands. “I didn’t say that was the issue,” he said _. Trust me, I’m well aware of that._ “And I’m not doubting your commitment to the mission or to your people.”

“Then what’s your problem?” Ahsoka demanded, flaring up.

Her outburst was so sudden that Rex actually took a full step back. It was clear that the whole situation was weighing more heavily on her than she let on.

“I just think we should come up with a better plan than sending you into the heart of a slave empire as bait,” Rex said. “Don’t you think there’s a real possibility that – if this whole thing goes sideways and we’re found out – you might stop _pretending_ to be a slave and are forced into becoming one for real? Forever?”

Some of the fight went out of Ahsoka. “I . . . I’m not stupid,” she said, turning away from Rex and leaning over the counter. “I know what could happen. And I’m willing to take the risk.”

He wasn’t quite so sure. If she got caught and taken away, there was a whole universe of terrible things that could happen to her. On the one hand, she was a Jedi, meaning she could be handed over to the Separatists or someone who wanted to experiment or use a Force-sensitive for their own means. Or they’d just kill her; a Jedi’s head would fetch a hefty price in CIS circles nowadays. On the other hand, she was a young woman. And a slave. Not a good combination. His mind could only jump to the worst possible scenarios.

But Rex would sooner gouge his own eyes out before he had a conversation like _that_ with Ahsoka.

So he dropped it.

“Why exactly am I here?” he asked, sighing.

Ahsoka took a deep breath but didn’t face him. “I want you to help me pick an outfit,” she said.

“You want me to what now?”

Ahsoka turned around and finally looked at him, but her eyes wouldn’t meet his and her montrals were as vivid as he’d ever seen them. “I want you to help me pick out a slave costume.”

Rex was a soldier. His entire life he was told never to question an order or command from a superior. He always did his duty – whether he liked it or not – and rarely ever kicked up a fuss. And yet, this single, innocuous task caused him to utter a phrase that he’d never before used.

“Why do _I_ have to do it?” he asked, somewhat incredulous. This had to be overstepping several very important boundaries. “Isn’t there anybody else that –”

“Who, Rex?” Ahsoka asked. “Obi-Wan? Anakin? Admiral Yularen? No _way_.”

“But –”

“Listen, Rex,” Ahsoka sighed, running her hands down her face. “I know this isn’t a great situation, but I really need your help. Trust me, I’m not exactly comfortable with this, either, but if anyone was going to help me, I wanted it to be you. The sooner we start, the sooner we finish, right?”

Rex felt like the biggest _di’kut_ in the universe.

Here he was practically losing his mind over this whole thing and he wasn’t even going to be the one going through with the hard part. Ahsoka was the one getting dressed up to be gawked at, trussed up, looked down on, and treated as though she were less than sentient.

_It’ll just be an act, Rex. Just get this over with._

_The sooner, the better._

“Alright,” Rex said, deflating slightly. “I’ll do what I can. But I don’t exactly consider myself a fashion expert, so I’m not exactly sure what you’re getting at here.”

“Well,” Ahsoka said, looking around. “Anakin gave me some ideas. And I . . . did some independent research.” She glanced away and blushed again. “Anyway, the idea is to be flashy. Eye-catching. So, bright colors and probably some jewelry. Bracelets, whatever. And I should show a lot of skin.”

As a fine layer of sweat broke out all over Rex, Ahsoka brushed past him. She roamed around the shop, reaching into racks and onto shelves and pulling out various sheets, fabrics, shawls, skirts, and whatever else she could get her hands on. Once she was satisfied, she circled around the front counter and slipped into one of the changing rooms.

_Guess I’ll just . . . wait here, then._

Rex grabbed a chair that rested next to the checkout counter and dragged it toward him. Turning it to face the backrooms, he sat down in it, allowed himself a private grimace, and waited – his back slumped and his chin resting on his hand.

This was going to be a rough couple of days.

“I’m . . . I’m kinda worried, Rex,” called Ahsoka from the back room, out of sight but certainly not out of mind. “What if we’re too late and we can’t find the colonists? What if this whole thing is for nothing?”

Rex did his best to ignore the sounds of fabrics shifting, metals clacking together, and the tiny tinkle of bells jostling. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. If there was a mission that didn’t allow for any distractions – didn’t allow for any outside stressors – this was it. “We will. We’re the best of the best, aren’t we?” He attempted a small smile that was instantly wiped off his face as Ahsoka stepped back into the main room.

She stood there, looking down at herself rather uncertainly, her discomfort evident in the suddenly much darker stripes that adorned her headtails. She was dressed in a practically skin-tight, navy blue strapless dress. Gold tassels hung from the skirt and reached her knees, shifting as she walked. Around her neck and wrists were fitted golden bands, each with a few small bells attached that jangled when she moved. They reminded Rex uncomfortably of collars that one might place around the neck of their pet.

“W-well?” Ahsoka asked, shifting her weight to one leg and spreading her arms. “What, uh . . . whaddaya think, Rex?”

Rex stared, slack-jawed, and flashed back to a few months prior when Ahsoka had debuted the outfit she’d been given by Riyo Chuchi to a similarly surprised Rex. That time, however, she’d been a lot smugger about the reaction she’d secured. This time, none of that bravado was present. It was a totally different situation.

“Well . . . well, uh,” said Rex, struggling terribly to find the correct – _and appropriate_ – response. “It . . . it’s flashy, that’s for sure.”

“Yeah,” Ahsoka nodded, holding up one arm to examine the bracelet around her wrist. “Yeah, you got that right.” She did an experimental lap around the store, looking as though she were walking on eggshells. “I dunno. It feels like I can barely walk around in this thing. I’m worried that it’ll rip or something. And the skirt’s pretty short . . .” She fiddled with the hem.

Rex averted his eyes and looked up at the ceiling, desperately wishing he were anywhere but where he was right at that moment. “Well, it’s probably not the one, then,” he said.

Ahsoka grasped at her ‘dress’ again and walked around him, back toward her changing area. As she disappeared into the other room once more, Rex lowered his head back to normal once more. When he heard the sounds of her changing, he managed to breathe normally again. This whole situation was just so . . . weird. And awkward. Unconsciously, he started tapping his foot against the floor; a fast, staccato beat.

After a few minutes, Ahsoka once again stepped out before him.

_You’ve gotta be shitting me._

“What the hell is _that_?” Rex demanded, actually rising out of his chair.

This ‘outfit’ – if it could really even be called that – was all black this time, aside from gold bands around her upper arms and a few ornately carved, gold plates that hung from her waist. The dress was essentially nothing other than a series of black cloths aligned. One was attached to her throat and extended all the way down her torso and into a skirt of some kind. Another cloth was wrapped around her chest in a manner not dissimilar to the old tube top she used to wear.

It certainly showed a lot of skin, if nothing else.

“Uh . . . yeah,” Ahsoka said, blushing furiously as she looked down at herself. “I-I guess I don’t really know what I was thinking with this one. It-It _does_ look like something a slave girl would wear, though. I saw worse than this on the HoloNet.”

“This isn’t the HoloNet,” Rex said. He was sure his face was redder than Coruscant Guard armor. “And that one is a definite ‘no.’”

She glanced over at him, raising a brow. “Too much?”

“Too _little_.”

“Yeah,” Ahsoka said, “Alright.” She turned to step back into her changing room, but Rex almost swore he caught her grinning triumphantly to herself.

Was he being toyed with?

He tried to sense her through their Bond. She was hard to read. Nervous, stressed, a little uncomfortable – but not as much as he would’ve imagined – and . . . mischievous?

“I don’t find this funny, by the way,” Rex called, a little irritated.

He heard Ahsoka laugh. “You know, Rexter, if you thought the last one was bad, I doubt you’ll like this.”

“Then don’t bother,” he said, emphatically. What was this? Some kind of sick experiment to see if she could get a rise out of him? Didn’t they have a mission to prepare for? The stakes were pretty high. This wasn’t exactly Jedi behavior.

Then again, Ahsoka was about to be placed in a pretty dangerous situation. Maybe this was just her way of letting off steam or something. Maybe it was a Togruta thing for all he knew. If having some fun at his expense would ease some of the tension, he supposed it wasn’t necessarily all bad.

“Ugh. _Fine_. Hold on, I’ll find something else.”

The wait was a bit lengthier this time, and Rex was thankful for that; it gave him time to compose himself. Unconsciously, he tugged at the collar of his body glove. Things were getting more uncomfortable by the second.

After a minute or two, Ahsoka stepped into view for the third time. Now, she wore a two-piece dress comprised of an array of vibrant light blues. Her skirt was cut in a slant and just about reached her knees, though there was a long, drastic slit on its left side that climbed all practically the way up to her hip. It was held up by a golden belt draped across her waist. The top was a cropped, sleeveless piece of light blue fabric, and a gold harness circled her ribs and climbed up her sternum, inlaid with several bright green jewels and attached to a loose collar around her throat. Each arm was mostly covered in long, light blue sleeves from wrist to upper arm, and her headtails were adorned with a complicated arrangement of golden fasteners and more jewels that even covered most of her forehead. On her feet were a pair of slip-on light blue shoes.

“Uh, this is the last outfit I’ve got,” Ahsoka said. “If this doesn’t pass, I’ll have to go and find something else.”

Rex stared, internally wrestling with two separate ideas in his head. He knew that, no matter what, he wasn’t going to be happy with whatever Ahsoka wore. He didn’t want her to go into this situation as vulnerable as she was going to be. But he didn’t really have a choice in the matter. And besides, this seemed to be the most comfortable and least revealing – sort of – outfit she’d chosen so far. This seemed to be the best they were going to come up with.

He also thought that she was pretty.

_That’s enough of that. You can’t think that._

Rex cleared his throat. “Right,” he said. “Yeah, I . . . I think that one should be fine. Seems, er, decent enough.”

Ahsoka rolled her eyes and sighed good-naturedly. “Gee, thanks. You really know how to make a girl feel special, Rex.”

Rex hesitated for half a second, then stood. In a few, quick strides, he crossed over to Ahsoka and pulled her in close. He wrapped his arms around her and held her to his chest, momentarily closing his eyes. For a second, he could pretend that they didn’t have a mission to prepare for. That they weren’t about to walk into a den of slavery and corruption without much prep or backup.

“Woah, Rexter,” Ahsoka giggled. “Not that I mind or anything – ‘cause I _really_ don’t – but what’s this about? You’re not usually a hugger.”

Her own arms encircled his own midsection as she held him right back. Rex sighed, running a hand down her rear headtail and causing her to purr contentedly and rub her cheek against his chestplate. He had to focus hard so that he didn’t –

_Stop._

“How did we get here?” Rex asked, shaking his head.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, how did you and I get here?” Rex asked. “It’s been a long war. How did we go from fighting in straightforward battles to pretending to be slaves and slavers so we could infiltrate a slave empire? I just . . . I feel like our stories used to be so simple. Now everything’s gotten so confused.”

Ahsoka pulled back a bit. Not out of his reach, but just enough so that she could look up into his eyes. “You doing okay?” she asked, looking concerned. She was so sweet. “I meant to ask earlier since this is your first mission after . . . you know; Umbara . . . But I never got the chance to. Is all that still bugging you?”

Rex shifted his hands so that they rested on Ahsoka’s shoulders. “I’ll be alright,” he said. “But . . . yeah, I guess I’m still thinking about it. Tough not to.”

“We’re doing the right thing, Rex,” she assured him, not breaking eye contact. “It’s risky, yeah, but I know it’s the right call. We have to stop those Zygerrians and find the colonists.”

“I know,” Rex said, looking away, a little ashamed. “It’s just . . . I dunno. I don’t like it. Every mission seems more dangerous than the last one. Like things aren’t getting any better. Just worse.”

Ahsoka leaned into him again, squeezing him as tightly as she could while he was still in his armor. “I’m sorry, Rex,” she said. “I wish I could help or – I dunno – do something to make things better. But I guess it’s just how war is. Look at it this way: the sooner we win, the sooner we can stop doing stuff like this.”

Rex gave a weak chuckle. “Yeah, yeah,” he said. “A clear path if ever there was one, huh?”

“You bet,” Ahsoka said, grinning as she pulled back again. “Now, how about we go and get this over with?”

“Sounds good to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Softcore - The Neighbourhood  
> (a bit on-the-nose, I know)
> 
> God damn, this chapter took DAYS to write. I know that whole set-up to this chapter is kind of a mini trope when it comes to Kadavo adaptations, but I thought I'd try and add my own spin to it. I also felt like I was putting a couple of toes across a few different lines, but I hope it wasn't anything too crazy
> 
> Y'all ever read the comics? Ahsoka got off easy in the show in terms of her outfit lol
> 
> P.S. someone wanted a playlist, so there's now a Spotify link attached to the In Memoriam chapter of Year 1. I'll get to work on one for Year 2 when I can.


	49. This Is Your Life

**Bridge of Zygerrian ship _Tecora_ , in space over Zygerria**

Anakin sat at the controls of the freighter they’d ‘confiscated’ from Darts D’Nar.

As they came out of hyperspace over Zygerria, he, Obi-Wan, R2-D2, Rex, and Ahsoka were all crowded around the bridge and watching out the main viewport. Surrounding the planet was a great many different ships of varying shapes and sizes, all headed to and from specific lanes that seemed to be hot spots for activity of some sort.

Whatever was going on, Anakin could bet that it wasn’t legal.

“Looks like Zygerria is a popular place these days,” he remarked.

“Hmm,” Obi-Wan muttered, leaning against the pilot’s chair. “Whatever is happening is attracting plenty of high-class . . . scum.”

“I don’t like this,” said Rex, who was sitting the co-pilot’s position, dressed in the same Zygerrian armor that Anakin and Obi-Wan were. It really was strange to see him wearing something besides plastoid.

‘I don’t like this’ – and other variations – was about all Rex had said for the better part of the last rotation. Anakin didn’t much fancy this situation either, but it was the best plan they’d come up with on short notice. And what was Rex’s issue, anyway? He and Obi-Wan were going to attempt to find the colonists. Anakin and Ahsoka were the ones who were going to really have to deal with the Zygerrians and their queen and would likely be in the most danger.

“We’ll be fine, Rex,” said Ahsoka, who stood just behind the clone, her eyes fixed on the planet before them. “We just need to stick to the plan and we’ll be okay.”

_Well, we hope so, anyway._

“Just stay focused,” Anakin said, glancing over at him. “You and Obi-Wan just need to keep your heads down and try to locate those colonists. Ahsoka and I can handle the hard part.”

“Permission to speak freely, sir?”

“Granted.”

“That’s exactly what I’m worried about.”

Anakin rolled his eyes and returned his gaze to the planet as Obi-Wan suppressed a snort and Ahsoka started giggling.

_It wasn’t_ that _funny._

“Alright,” Ahsoka said, sighing. “I guess I better go get changed.” She patted Rex on the shoulder, then turned and walked out of the bridge.

“She’s handling this rather well,” Obi-Wan mused, glancing after her as the doors slid shut behind her, “considering the role she has to play and the fact that it’s her people that are missing.”

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Ahsoka,” Anakin said, “it’s that she can handle more than you think she can.”

“ _Ke barjurir gar'ade, jagyc'ade kot'la a dalyc'ade kotla'shya_ ,” Rex muttered, looking lost in thought.

Anakin and Obi-Wan stared at him.

“Sorry,” he said, shaking his head. “Old Mandalorian turn of phrase.”

Their ship descended through Zygerria’s upper atmosphere and plunged through the cloud layer. Suddenly, a huge city appeared in the otherwise mountainous and rocky landscape. It sat upon a large, rocky plateau and had a defensive wall set up around its outskirts. The interior was packed with buildings of various sizes, but the most visually impressive had to be what must’ve been the royal palace. It rose high above the rest of the city and was fashioned in a multi-leveled, pyramid-like structure.

It was certainly lavish.

Anakin guided their ship in and landed on a platform outside of the wall. They were on the clock now. Together, he, Obi-Wan, Rex, and R2 walked down into the cargo bay, carrying helmets, weapons, and whatever else they might need.

“Let’s just hope the information our spies gave us about the Queen is accurate,” Anakin said, fiddling with the straps on one of his gloves. They’d contacted the Special Operations Brigade about their mission, and an ARC captain named Fordo – Ordo had apparently been unreachable – had gotten into contact with them to give the team all the information they’d collected on the Zygerrian Queen. “Remember, I’ll keep her occupied while you locate the people of Kiros.” He accepted one of the strange, cat-like helmets from Rex as Obi-Wan took another.

“And how do you plan on keeping the Queen ‘occupied?’” Obi-Wan asked as the three men put on the helmets.

“Well,” Anakin said, letting out a small chuckle, “with my magnetic charm, of course.”

“Oh, yes, of course,” Obi-Wan said, rolling his eyes.

“Hold onto this, will you, buddy?” Anakin called to R2 as they reached the cargo bay doors. He reached into his belt and removed his lightsaber before tossing it to the ever-reliable astromech, who caught it in one of his extendable arms and retracted it into his body for safe-keeping. It would really blow the lid off their cover if one of them was caught with a Jedi weapon while on Zygerria. Ahsoka’s ‘sabers had already been stored in the droid, and Obi-Wan likewise withdrew his own weapon and handed it to him.

The cargo doors slowly slid open and the exit ramp began to descend, revealing the huge wall of the city looming not too far ahead of them.

“Remind me why _I’m_ the one playing the part of the slave,” Ahsoka said, appearing beside Anakin and now dressed entirely in black robes that covered every part of her body aside from her hands and eyes.

While it hadn’t exactly been her idea, it still made the most sense. Besides, it was clear that nobody was going to be happy with this mission no matter what, so they all had to suck it up and just get all of this over with.

“I tried it once,” Anakin said. “I wasn’t very good at it.” He hoped that would come off as a snarky remark, even though it really wasn’t. “Besides, the role of ‘master’ comes naturally to me.”

“Really?” Ahsoka said. “Well this time, try to be convincing at it.”

R2-D2 took the lead as the group descended the ship’s exit ramp and trekked toward the city, with Anakin and Ahsoka behind him and Rex and Obi-Wan bringing up the rear. As they crossed the huge entry gate into the city, Anakin rested one hand on the Zygerrian blaster rifle strapped to his belt. He was hoping he wouldn’t have to use it quite yet, but shady market places like the one they’d just entered were always rife with criminals and thieves.

So, just in case.

There was scum everywhere. Zygerrian slavers, Weequay pirates, Nemoidians, and plenty other species milled about at stalls, looking for deals. Both non-sentient and sentient species were for sale. Everything from Kowakian Monkey Lizards to Twi’leks. Vendors shouted at customers, prisoners cried softly, people called out bids at what seemed to be auctions.

It was disgusting.

“Ugh,” Ahsoka muttered, shaking her head as they walked through the dirt streets, “how can a civilization this advanced still practice slavery?”

“It makes them wealthy and powerful at the expense of others,” Anakin said. He knew she knew about his past. She was a smart kid; she could figure that out on her own from the tidbits he’d dropped over the years. If she didn’t guess before, Obi-Wan had probably told her by now. “Before the Hutts bought my mother, she was sold in a market just like this.”

Her life had been hell. And just when she had a taste of freedom, she’d been killed by Tuskan Raiders. Anakin wasn’t supposed to know that. But he did.

They reached some sort of market square and came to a stop. Before the little group, one man amidst a group of Twi’lek prisoners had tripped and fallen on the ground. Slowly, he tried to make his way to his feet, but he was having trouble. A tall Zygerrian dressed in crimson and gold embroidered finery pushed through the other Twi’leks and towered over the fallen man.

“Get up, you useless skug!” he barked, pointing at him.

“Master,” the Twi’lek pleaded, looking up at him, “the bonds. They are too heavy.”

The Zygerrian scowled. “Tell it to my whip,” he spat.

In a flash, he reached into his belt and withdrew an energy whip, flicking it to life and raising it high over his head. The air crackled as it passed and all the other Twi’leks flinched and looked away, as though scared that they were the real target. The man who had fallen didn’t even try to get out of the way; just raised one hand to shield his face and looking away, just waiting for the blow to connect.

The Zygerrian stepped forward and made a motion to strike the whip forward –

– only to be stopped when Ahsoka rushed forward and grabbed his arm, stopping him.

_Shit._

“You _don’t_ wanna do that,” she growled, her eyes narrowed with fury.

The Zygerrian powered down his whip and wrenched his arm from her grasp as an observation probe droid floated over to watch the scene unfold. They had eyes on them now, like it or not. Rex and Obi-Wan were smart enough to slip off into the crowd, leaving Anakin and R2 to deal with the thorny situation they’d just been placed in.

“Ah, you dare touch me!” the Zygerrian bellowed, rounding on Ahsoka.

Anakin needed to smooth this over. Ahsoka wouldn’t back down – undercover or not – and that would only make things worse. Even though he hated it, he would have to make peace with the slaver.

“Excuse my slave, friend,” he said quickly, pushing Ahsoka aside as he stepped forward. “She is freshly caught.”

Two armored Zygerrians armed with blasters appeared out of nowhere and stood beside the original one. “Mm,” he said, his attention fully on Anakin now. Good. “What have we here? You wear Zygerrian armor, but you’re not one of us. Who are you?” He folded his arms, his eyes narrowed.

_You couldn’t be more right about that._

“I’ve come for an audience with the Queen,” Anakin said.

“Then you have an invitation?” asked the Zygerrian. “We can’t just let anyone in to speak with Her Majesty.”

“No invitation,” Anakin said, smirking, “but I do bring news. News the Queen will be eager to hear.”

“I doubt that,” the Zygerrian snarled. “You’re nothing more than a brigand.”

“I wouldn’t say _that_ ,” Anakin said, “especially when the Queen learns you prevented her from hearing the news about Bruno Denturri.”

The slaver’s eyes flashed and he took a step forward. The two guards on either side of him raised their blasters, and Anakin sensed two more run at him from behind, both no doubt with weapons of their own. His own hand hovered over his holstered rifle, ready to draw at a moment’s notice. But there was, of course, no need.

The observation droid darted in front of Anakin.

“Halt!” it said in a digitized voice. “Cease all hostilities! This man is to be escorted to the palace by order of the Queen.”

Anakin suppressed a grin. They had their ‘in.’

Just like the spies had predicted.

* * *

Ahsoka trudged alongside Anakin and R2 as the four guards and the slaver, who introduced himself as Atai Molec, led them through the royal palace. It was all high ceilings and polished stone, lined with rich, sparkling metals and decorated with odd, geometric designs. Still, despite all that, it didn’t feel near as inviting as the Naboo Royal Palace. Perhaps that was just because Ahsoka was pretending to be a slave, but something just felt off about the place.

At long last, they reached the throne room.

It was immense and wide, lined with columns and floor-to-ceiling windows on either side of the hall. On the other side of the room, the Zygerrian Queen – Miraj Scintel – sat upon a throne that was raised above the rest of the room, so that she was looking down upon everyone in her presence.

_Fitting_.

She was tall and slender, wearing a deep blue dress lined with gold. Her eyes were small and yellow, and she was petting a – probably stolen – Kiros bird with one hand. She seemed to be in the middle of dictating something to a Twi’lek slave next to the throne.

“Make certain all preparations are complete for this evening,” she was saying. Molec bowed and stepped aside, allowing her, Anakin, and R2 to approach the base of the throne. “And fetch refreshments.”

“My Queen,” said the slaver, apparently higher up in the chain of command than they’d realized. “I present Lars Quell.”

With one hand partially concealed from the Queen’s line of sight under his arm, Anakin frantically snapped his fingers, drawing Ahsoka’s attention. He motioned to her, and she remembered what she was supposed to do. Hating every second of it, she spread her arms and dipped her back, falling into a low bow.

She straightened just as quickly as she had slouched, gritting her teeth beneath her black veil. She couldn’t believe she had to be cordial toward a creature like Miraj Scintel. But she was undercover. Just playing a part. That was it.

That was it.

“Hmm,” Queen Miraj mused, staring down at them. “So, you’re the man who claims to be acquainted with Bruno Denturri?”

“Yes, your highness,” Anakin said, reaching up and removing his Zygerrian helmet. He raised an eyebrow. “However, when I spoke with him, he failed to describe your beauty.”

The Queen chuckled behind pursed lips, shaking her head. Privately, Ahsoka mimicked her. Anakin surely thought he was a lot smoother than he really was.

“Really?” asked the Queen, stroking one of her birds. “And did Bruno speak of my intense hatred of him? Or did that escape his memory as well?”

At that, Molec drew his blaster and leveled it at Anakin’s face, clearly itching for the man to give him a reason to pull the trigger. Unreasonably hostile, that one. But Anakin didn’t even blink.

“He needed not speak of it, Your Majesty,” he said, raising one hand and directing the gun away from him. “In fact, Bruno Denturri will not _be_ speaking. Ever again.”

“What do you mean?” asked the Queen, looking as though she were actually on the edge of her seat.

“Bruno Denturri’s dead,” Anakin said, stepping forward, “by my hand.” He gestured toward Ahsoka. “Here is a slave from his palace. Compensation for my efforts.”

Well, he was half-right. According to the data packet they’d received from the Special Operations Brigade regarding their mission, Bruno Denturri was some other slaver operating in similar circles as a rival to Queen Miraj. He actually had been killed, recently as well. Though not by Anakin. The credit for that particular assassination apparently went to one RC-1207, but the details were classified.

Still, it was rather convenient, and they weren’t about to let an advantage like that slip away.

Reaching toward her, Anakin grasped the front of her black robes and yanked them over her head, tearing off both the cloak and the veil in one swift move and revealing the rich set of light blue fabrics and gold jewelry that she and Rex had picked out.

Uneasy with being suddenly thrust into the spotlight, Ahsoka spat out the first thing that came to mind.

“Unhand me, brigand!” she shouted, twisting out of Anakin’s grasp.

It sounded pretty lame.

There was a quick moment of silence, during which Anakin shot her a look. Ahsoka blanched. She wasn’t really one for hiding behind lies, even while undercover.

The Queen chuckled and rose out of her seat. “You impress me, Lars Quell,” she said, raising one hand. Molec and the guards stationed around the throne room sank to their knees. “She is quite a prize.” Anakin tapped Ahsoka on the shoulder and, getting the hint, she sank to the ground as well. “And you have defeated Bruno Denturri in combat? Well, you must be quite the warrior.”

She approached and, slowly, everyone got to their feet once more. Miraj began to circle Ahsoka, her yellow and black eyes, roving all over her as Anakin and R2 stepped to one side. Ahsoka fought the urge to run or cover herself or . . . something. She didn’t like being appraised like this, especially since she didn’t know what for exactly. Not to mention the fact that Miraj was a slaver queen.

Who knew what she’d try to put her up to?

_I won’t be around long enough to find out. It’s fine._

_It’s fine._

“Hmm,” the Queen muttered. “Mm-hmm. The slave is certainly of fine stock. Bruno always knew how to choose a beautiful female.”

She rested a hand on one of Ahsoka’s shoulders.

That was it.

She jerked away, slapping away the Queen’s slightly furry hand. “Don’t you dare touch me!” she spat.

They stared daggers at one another for several long moments, and she saw real fury begin to mount behind the older woman’s eyes. Well, she could just about match that anger with her own.

“Though she will have to be processed,” Miraj said, her eyes narrowed. She turned to Anakin. “Her demeanor leaves much to be desired. What is your price for her?”

“With respect,” Anakin said, “how can I price the beauty of this slave when I look upon the magnificence of your highness, whose beauty would make the brightest star seem dull by comparison?”

Ahsoka rolled her eyes again. What did he do, come up with these lines in advance? Or did they just come to him? She wasn’t actually sure which possibility was worse. The whole situation was made all the stranger when Ahsoka considered that he’d at least gotten _Padmé_ to fall for him. Maybe he really was as smooth as he thought.

The Queen chuckled, two fingers tracing down her cheek. “Lars Quell, you flatter me.”

“No, Your Majesty. However . . .” and with that, he leaned in and raised one hand up to cover his mouth. Apparently game to entertain him, Miraj leaned one large, cat-like ear in, allowing him to whisper into it.

Ahsoka, even with her advanced hearing, couldn’t quite make out what he said.

Miraj was laughing now. “Lars, stop it,” she actually giggled. “Stop it!” She batted him on the shoulder, pushing back slightly, though there was a clearly flirtatious undertone to her actions. “You are a bold one, aren’t you?”

“My reputation precedes me, then,” Anakin grinned.

“Perhaps we can find a way to put a price on your slave,” Miraj offered. She held out one hand. “Come. Walk with me.”

Anakin really _did_ have a way with women.

Ahsoka never would’ve guessed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Is Your Life - The Last Shadow Puppets
> 
> I threw a couple of fun references in this chapter to break up the tension
> 
> Ke barjurir gar'ade, jagyc'ade kot'la a dalyc'ade kotla'shya - Train your sons to be strong but your daughters to be stronger
> 
> P.S. Oh yeah, forgot to mention that I put up the playlist for Year 2 in the In Memoriam of that fic. I won't be making a playlist for Year 3 until it's finished


	50. The Afternoon's Hat

**Slave pits, Zygerria**

Rex did his best to blend in with the rest of the crowd that milled around the holding cells, but it was hard. Not only did he not have his helmet, which meant he was cut off from the usual stream of data and information that his HUD and the HoloNet afforded him, but he also didn’t have the rest of his kit and had to blend in with a bunch of slavers.

He felt practically naked without plastoid.

The Zygerrian armor he wore was light and flexible, not hard and sturdy like his usual suit. He felt that, at any moment, someone was going to realize that he and General Kenobi didn’t belong and put a blaster bolt through him. And that would be the end of that.

_Focus, Rex. Just do the job as quickly and quietly as possible and get out._

As some Hutt pushed roughly past Kenobi, who was peering down through a square hole in the ground at what looked to be a group of Talz, Rex slipped past the pair of them and stood over the next pit. Looking down, he saw that, to his surprise, he’d actually found exactly what they were looking for. Below, a skinny, older-looking Togruta man with long, pointed montrals and light orange skin was curled up in the fetal position, shivering slightly despite the warm air.

“Sir,” he hissed, grabbing Kenobi’s attention, “take a look at this.”

The General hustled over and peered down along with Rex.

“Stand watch,” he ordered. “I’ll take a closer look.”

Rex nodded, and Kenobi leapt down into the dark pit. Rex glanced around, making sure no one had seen, but most of the other ‘patrons’ seemed particularly interested in some sort of howling creature that was being kept in a pit a few meters to the right. No one was looking at them. Rex kept one hand on his blaster; just in case someone decided to look their way and tried to sound the alarm. They were pretty exposed. If things got messy, they’d get _messy_.

But no one spotted him.

Moments later, Kenobi returned with a Force-assisted jump, now helmetless and with the Togruta man draped over one shoulder. The Jedi set him as gently as he could upon the smooth, stone ground as Rex glanced around, then moved closer.

“Sir, did you find out where the others are?” he hissed. They didn’t have much time now, surely.

“Not yet,” Kenobi whispered. “We’ve got to get him out of here.”

_How?_

Kenobi stood as Rex did his best to prop the man up, though he appeared to be in some sort of daze. The General looked up at a nearby wall, upon which was perched a Brezak – a huge, lizard-like creature with loose patches of flesh attached to its legs that helped it glide through the air – with a Zygerrian guard riding it.

General Kenobi jumped upward, landing atop the Brezak and grabbing the Zygerrian sitting atop it. He threw the guard right off the back of the beast and sent him sailing down into the pit from which he’d just rescued the Togruta, screaming all the way. Then, he grabbed the reigns of the Brezak, cracking them and causing the creature to screech and rear back, getting itself ready to move. It jumped off the edge of the wall and opened the flaps of skin attached to its arms, allowing it to glide in a tight circle and set itself down right in front of Rex and the rescued Togruta man.

“You there!” shouted a voice from behind them. “What are you doing with that slave?”

_Well, so much for not getting caught._

Kenobi darted off the back of the now stationary Brezak and towards Rex, leaning down to pick up the man under one of his arms. Quickly, Rex mimicked him, and together they managed to drag him up onto the back of their ride.

Rex took the lead, grabbing the reigns while Kenobi kept their guest steady behind him.

This was crazy. He’d never ridden or controlled a creature like this before, and he wasn’t a Jedi that could calm animals using the Force. Things could get bad very quickly. Then again, if he didn’t get this thing moving now, they’d be surrounded and captured or shot by the guards, and that was no good.

He was just going to have to do his best.

Rex reared back and cracked the reigns, causing the Brezak to launch itself forward at a run, leaping over both slave pits and low walls alike in its haste to escape. It bounced up and down, causing him to grip the reigns as tightly as he could and dig his legs into its sides in order to keep himself steady.

This thing certainly wasn’t as steady as a speeder bike, and Rex knew which he preferred.

Just as they were nearing the end of the slave pits, Rex heard Kenobi cry out from behind him. Whipping his head around, he saw the General jerk to the side, smoke curling up from the Zygerrian armor he wore. In a spasm, he tumbled off the side of the Brezak and fell to the hard ground below, taking the Togruta with him as he did.

Time seemed to stop.

What should Rex do? What _could_ he do?

He could turn the Brezak around, attempt to rescue the General, fight off the Zygerrians, and . . . get captured or killed himself, more likely than not.

A year ago, that’s exactly what he would’ve done. Because it was his job to protect and serve the Jedi. Now, he knew there were other options. Ones that didn’t involve him mindlessly serving and getting himself killed.

He could keep going, escape, and try to regroup. Maybe he could rescue Kenobi later, or better yet, get in contact with Skywalker and Ahsoka and then figure out what to do next.

And that’s exactly what he did.

Though he hated doing it, Rex turned away from Kenobi. The Brezak jumped into the air and spread its arms once more, catching a great gust of wind and soaring up over the high wall that led away from the slave pits and into the city beyond.

* * *

Anakin – with Ahsoka and R2 in tow – followed Queen Miraj and Atai Molec out onto a terrace at the top of the palace, overlooking the entire city. A green-skinned Twi’lek serving girl stood beside them, holding up a simple tray with a pair of drinks on it; most likely for Anakin and the Queen. He looked out at the city lit by the midday sun.

It would have been a breathtaking view. If he had no idea what kind of horrible things were going on below.

“Slavery is the natural order of things,” Miraj said, beckoning the Twi’lek girl closer and retrieving one of the cups. Anakin did the same. “The weak deserve nothing more than to kneel before the strong; bound to our service.” She turned and stepped toward the railing. “I will need men with your ‘talents’ to spread our ways across the galaxy.”

Anakin frowned.

Across the galaxy? It seemed that the Queen was much more ambitious than they’d given her credit for. Not only did she want to bring back the old slave empire, but she wanted to spread it across the entire galaxy this time around. Well, that just wasn’t going to happen.

The sound of metal sliding against metal caught Anakin’s attention.

Glancing sideways, he saw that the Twi’lek girl had tossed the serving plate aside and was brandishing a small, golden knife. She drew it back and took a step toward the Queen, letting out a harsh, angry cry as she plunged the weapon down, aiming for the Zygerrian woman’s neck.

For the briefest of moments, Anakin considered letting the assassination play out. The Queen deserved to die for what she was proposing, and her way of life. Letting the girl kill her would expedite the process of dismantling this slave empire before it even started.

But no.

Anakin was undercover. And there were guards around. And Molec. If he didn’t act and the queen died, he and Ahsoka would be compromised. Not to mention the fact that they still didn’t know where the Togruta colonists were being held. So no. He had to act.

He reached up and caught the girl’s arm with on hand, holding her back as Queen Miraj, looking shocked, stepped back and dropped her cup, which fell to the floor with a clatter alongside the tray. Anakin yanked the Twi’lek toward him and grabbed the knife.

“Let me go!” she spat, struggling and pulling away from him.

Anakin released her and she took a heavy step backward, tripping over the steps behind her and landing on her back in the middle of the terrace. She scrambled backward, looking up at Anakin, the Queen, and Molec in fear.

“You _dare_ raise a hand against your master?” Miraj demanded, walking toward her. Anakin and Molec stepped forward as well, Molec with his blaster drawn and leveled at the girl. “Clearly, you require further processing.”

There it was again: processing.

What did that mean? Clearly, the Zygerrians had some way of conditioning their slaves. Some facility of some sort. But what happened there? Where was it?

“No!” gasped the girl, using the railing on the terrace to assist her in rising to her feet. “I won’t go back there!”

The very notion seemed to terrify her.

Enough so that she climbed onto the edge and glanced at the ground below.

_Oh, no._

“Wait!” Anakin said, holding out one hand. “Stop!”

He ran forward, but it was too late. The Twi’lek girl closed her eyes, spread her arms, and dived off the edge of the platform. By the time Anakin reached the edge and looked over, she had hit the ground far below, her body twisted unnaturally at the impact.

Several guards surrounded the corpse, looking up in shock and surprise.

Anakin leaned over the railing, the knife still in his hand.

“Such a waste,” Queen Miraj lamented, shrugging as she took a seat on the railing next to him, looking not at all sorry about what had occurred. “But perhaps she was more trouble than she’s worth.”

A girl had just died and all she had to say was ‘such a waste’ and proceed to wonder about payments.

Anakin found himself wishing he’d let her get killed, mission be damned.

But no. There were lives at stake. A lot of them.

“But you, Lars . . .” Miraj said, looking up at him as he backed away from the railing. “You are proving quite resourceful.” She sighed, then looked over at Ahsoka. “Very well. I will pay your price for this slave girl. It seems I am . . . in need of a new servant.” She chuckled.

Anakin hated her.

But he did his best not to let it show on his face. “She is my gift to you, your highness,” he said, gesturing to his Padawan. He knew letting her ‘have’ Ahsoka for free would gain him a great deal of favor. It had been his plan all along. He just didn’t think it would come at a different cost.

“You are a man of many surprises,” Miraj said, smiling. “It pleases me. I wish you to be my guest at the slave auction, and to sit at my side.” She held up one hand, meaning for him to take it.

This, at least, was good news. This slave auction sounded like quite the event. If there was any place he was going to find or at least hear rumors about the missing Togrutas, it was going to be there. Perhaps this whole charade would be over sooner rather than later.

He took the Queen’s hand, helped her to her feet, and suppressed his urge to crush her fingers in his metal grip.

* * *

Ahsoka stood just behind the ornate chair that Queen Miraj now sat in. On the other side, Anakin stood with his arms folded and R2 waiting beside him.

They were all standing in the royal box of some arena in the city. In a ring around the square arena was a balcony section, allowing patrons of many species to gather around and watch the spectacle that was about to take place below. The royal box itself was situated slightly above the rest of the stands and was decorated with wall paintings and carvings. A pair of guards stood behind them; on either side of the door.

Peering down into the arena below, Ahsoka saw that it was mostly barren; just a sandy ground interrupted only by a large square pedestal in the center of the area. Upon it stood a Zygerrian currently attempting to rile the cheering crowd up.

“Your Highness, Zygerrians,” he shouted, turning this way and that to address as many people as he could, “guests from a thousand worlds! Our auction begins with slaves of unmatched quality and impossible quantity. I give you Togruta from the Kiros system.”

_This is it._

He gestured to one side of the area. A door set into the stone wall slid open and out was forced an adult Togruta that Ahsoka recognized as Governor Roshti; the leader of the Kiros colony. He looked ragged and weak, stumbling forward after being pushed out into the bright sunlight by a guard.

“Oh, no,” she whispered, shaking her head and glancing over at Anakin.

Almost imperceptibly, he waved one hand at her; a sign to calm down. He also did his best to project as much confidence as he could through the Force at her. She knew him too well, however, and could _just_ detect the rage simmering just beneath his mostly calm exterior.

“This handsome sample represents a lot of numbering,” the announcer exclaimed. “No less than fifty-thousand beings!”

Anakin’s eyes seemed to lock onto something on the adjacent side of the stadium, and Ahsoka followed his gaze. Across from them, mingling with the crowd, was a human dressed in Zygerrian armor. He leaned against a pillar on the edge of the edge of the walkway, one hand tapping discreetly against the blaster strapped to his belt. His head was angled directly towards the royal box, and he seemed to be looking at Anakin and Ahsoka. Then, she saw his eyes.

It was Rex. She’d recognize those hazel eyes anywhere. And, now that she was focused on him, she could pick up his Force-signature through their bond. Come to think of it, that was probably how he’d found them in the first place.

Hope flared in her chest. If they had to try something, they at least had backup. But if he was here, where was Obi-Wan? Nearby?

“Note the compliance,” the announcer said as Governor Roshti made his way onto the platform. “Virtually untrained in combat, there will be no rebellion from these slaves!”

“So,” Anakin said, glancing down at the Queen, “where do you keep fifty-thousand slaves like the people of Kiros?”

The door suddenly slid open behind them, and Atai Molec stormed into the room, brushing roughly past Ahsoka and making straight for Miraj.

“Your Majesty,” he said, “I have urgent news.” He bowed and leaned in beside the Queen, pausing to whisper something into her ear.

Ahsoka crossed behind them to stand beside Anakin, unable to hear what exactly was said.

After a few moments, she waved Molec away. “All will be revealed in time,” Miraj said, turning her attention back toward Anakin.

_Hopefully, that’s sooner rather than later._

Then, she stood and walked forward. The crowd’s cheering grew in pitch as she came into view, raising her arms to address everyone gathered. “Before we begin the auction,” Miraj said, her voice somehow amplified; possibly by a microphone hidden within the royal box, “I would welcome a most special guest: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Knight.”

It was lucky that Miraj was facing away from them because Ahsoka and Anakin’s jaws both dropped in shock. Obi-Wan? He’d been captured?

Ahsoka stood on her tip-toes and peered out into the arena below.

Sure enough, the same door that Governor Roshti had emerged from had opened once more. This time, a team of three armed Zygerrian guards escorted Obi-Wan out into the open. He looked very worse for wear: covered in dirt, limping slightly, and with scorch marks and cuts adorning both his flesh and the robes he wore.

“My friends,” Miraj intoned, “my good friends, do not fear the Jedi. They are no different from others who we have forced into submission, for they have forsaken their ideals to serve a corrupt Senate. Every Jedi has become a slave to the Republic. The Jedi Order is weak, and _we_ will help break it.”

Wheels were turning in Ahsoka’s racing mind as she tried to figure out how exactly they were going to save Obi-Wan. Yes, Rex was nearby and ready to act, but he probably couldn’t pull it off on his own; not with so many bystanders and guards. What could she and Anakin do? Not much. At least, no without blowing their cover. Could they afford to do that? They still didn’t know where the Togruta colonists were, but they couldn’t just let Obi-Wan get hurt, either.

Before she could check with Anakin, Miraj reached down, grabbed the hilt of a currently deactivated energy whip, and turned toward him.

“Teach the Jedi his place,” she ordered.

He didn’t move for a moment. Did the Queen suspect him? No, she would’ve done something much more drastic if she did.

Then, Anakin reached out, took the whip in his hand, and withdrew. Turning, he marched out the room, his hand clasped tightly around his weapon.

They were deep trouble, weren’t they?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Afternoon's Hat - Arctic Monkeys
> 
> Well, things are certainly about to get real hairy, aren't they?
> 
> I did end up making a YouTube channel, which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPsCbJ9XARRU08GTGgMuUQA  
> (I heavily disguised my voice, tho)  
> After I get some things straightened out, I'll hopefully work on starting an audiobook version of War Bonds.


	51. You've Got Everything Now

**Auction Arena, Zygerria**

Energy whip still clutched in one hand, Anakin walked out into the arena. Ahead, he saw Obi-Wan being forced to kneel on the pedestal in the center of the area by a Zygerrian guard, both of their backs to him. Another guard faced Anakin, checking to make sure that Governor Roshti, who was collapsed upon the step that led to the pedestal, wasn’t going anywhere.

This was a rough situation.

“Whip the Jedi!” screamed someone in the crowd above. “Whip the Jedi!” Others took up the cry, and it seemed to be the only thing that filled his ears.

_Well, that's definitely not gonna happen._

Anakin climbed up onto the platform and took position behind Obi-Wan, who knelt on the ground, his hands behind his head. The guard stepped away, allowing Anakin the access he needed so he could ‘whip the Jedi.’

This certainly wasn’t a position he ever thought he’d find himself in: holding a slave whip while standing over the closest thing he had to a father figure and being expected to use it on him.

“Looks like I have to rescue you again, old man,” Anakin said in a low voice so that the guards wouldn’t hear.

Obi-Wan’s shoulders seemed to sag with relief. “I knew you’d have a backup plan,” he sighed, glancing back.

_Not exactly._

They’d been backed into a corner. Anakin certainly wasn’t going to whip Obi-Wan, which meant there’d certainly be a scene when he refused. He looked up toward the royal box, where he saw Queen Miraj leaning over the railing, staring intently down at him. On either side of her were Ahsoka and R2-D2; both just as enraptured.

“Prove to me you are a slaver,” Miraj said, her voice magnified once more. “Swing that whip, or die beside him.”

Anakin frowned. “Well, those are some lousy options,” he muttered. What were his _real_ options?

Swing the whip. Not happening.

Die. Also not happening.

Run. They were in the middle of a heavily guarded, crowded arena. There wasn’t anywhere they could conceivably run to.

That left fight. Maybe they could create a scene, fight off the Zygerrians, hopefully escape with Governor Roshti, and regroup somewhere safer.

Anakin glanced up into the crowd, his eyes finding Rex, who nodded at him. The Captain was ready. He looked back toward the royal box. R2 shifted from one leg to another, both nervous and ready to do his part. Ahsoka gritted her teeth and nodded.

_Here we go._

Anakin sunk into a low bow. “You leave me no choice, Highness,” he called, activating the energy whip.

Then, he straightened once more, gave R2 a quick two-finger salute . . .

. . . and cracked the whip, using it to grab the nearest guard’s blaster and yank it out of his hand.

Everyone exploded into motion at once.

Obi-Wan darted forward and Force-pushed the guard away. Anakin looked up into the sky expectantly, just as R2 ejected both his and Obi-Wan’s lightsabers from his internal compartment and launched them out into the arena. Dropping the whip, he caught them both and ignited his own, taking a defensive stance.

“Guards!” the Queen shouted. “Subdue them!”

Anakin tossed Obi-Wan’s weapon to him and they both took up positions on the platform, using their weapons to deflect the blaster fire that started pouring down on them from guards stationed in the stands above. The crowd was in an uproar, and it seemed as though most patrons were falling over one another to get away from the sudden firefight.

There was an explosion from above and a whole line of guards and part of the walkway disappeared in a fiery blast. The respite didn’t last long, however, as a moment later, Rex and a guard both fell off the walkway, twisting in midair.

The guard hit the ground not far away, Rex on top of him, and was likely crushed by the weight of the clone. Rex himself rolled off the Zygerrian, his helmet askew and his blasters discarded, and collapsed to the ground in a heap, coughing.

Anakin looked up toward the royal box. “Ahsoka, the Queen!” he shouted.

If they could subdue her, they’d have leverage. They might be able to force a ceasefire if they could just get their hands on her.

But it was not to be.

The door to the arena slid open and ten Zygerrian guards poured out of it, rushing toward the center of the arena, activating their energy whips and drawing their blasters. Rex, who was already down, was caught instantly, as one of the guards wrapped a whip around his arm and tugged him forward. The electricity and pain that shot through his system were enough to send him sprawling. As Obi-Wan darted off the platform, fending off three Zygerrians at once, Anakin held his ground, deflecting a blaster bolt into a guard. Another cracked his whip at him, and Anakin raised his off-hand protectively. He caught the whip around his gauntlet and grabbed it, yanking it from the Zygerrian’s grasp and sending the guard himself sprawling.

A cry of pain from behind him caught his attention. Turning, he saw that one of the Zygerrians had managed to get his whip around Obi-Wan’s neck. Electricity sparked and the Jedi reached up to free himself, only to be caught by two more whips. He was down. No Rex, no Obi-Wan. Anakin tried to feel for Ahsoka’s presence in the Force, but it was muffled as though she were unconscious.

So that just left him.

Holding the energy whip by its deactivated end, he swung it about, using its hilt as a blunt-force object and sending it crashing into the faces, heads, and throats of Zygerrians. Whip in one hand, lightsaber in the other, he stood upon the pedestal, fending off the oncoming attacks from blasters and whips.

Until he wasn’t anymore.

There were just too many of them for him to face along, using weapons he wasn’t used to dealing with. One whip managed to wrap around his right arm, jerking him backward and causing him to drop his lightsaber, which spun away and deactivated itself. Another whip caught his left arm, and he dropped the whip as well. Instinctively, he turned and reached out with the Force, calling his ‘saber to him, resisting the pull of the whips. Another Zygerrian got a second whip around his left hand, sending burning electricity up his arm and pulling him down onto one knee.

Anakin gritted his teeth and attempted to rise despite the pain.

_I can’t give up now!_

But another whip wrapped around his leg. And another around his neck.

He was flagging. He could feel blackness encroaching around the edges of his vision. Still, he fought it, stumbling and attempting to back away from all the Zygerrians holding him in place.

But the pain was too much.

Against his will, Anakin felt his legs buckle. And knew nothing.

* * *

Anakin’s eyes shot open and he lurched upward, frightening a pair of blue and purple Krios birds that had apparently been eyeing him.

He lay sprawled out upon a rich bed, still wearing his Zygerrian armor. The room around him was clearly a royal bedchamber. Gold curtains lined the windows and the bed frame, elegantly trimmed carpets were placed upon the floor, and ornately carved furniture was placed everywhere.

“You destroyed my auction and frightened my customers,” said a voice, drawing Anakin’s attention. Queen Miraj was standing on the opposite side of the room from him, facing an odd-looking geometric window. She turned toward him, her hands clasped regally behind her back. “Count Dooku and half my kingdom are demanding your death.”

She’d made a mistake, then.

Pushing himself off of the bed, Anakin stalked toward the piece of slaver trash. He held out one hand, calling to the Force and settling a tight grip around the woman’s throat.

She felt it immediately, her eyes going wide when she found that she could no longer breathe. Her hands went to her neck as though she could do something to stop him. Her feet left the ground.

“You should’ve listened to them,” Anakin growled, drawing closer. “My friends - where are they?”

He should crush her windpipe, rip out her trachea, do _something_. Kill her. He had so much power; so much rage and hatred that needed to be unleashed _right now_.

But he had to know what had become of Obi-Wan, Rex, R2-D2, and Ahsoka first. He had to save them if they could be saved. And he had to exact revenge accordingly if they’d been killed.

The Queen did her best to meet his gaze. “Continue to misbehave . . . and they die.”

Blast.

Anakin did his best to control his anger. For the moment.

He released the Queen, and she doubled over, coughing and choking as she regained her balance and her breath. She had no idea just how lucky it was that she currently held all the cards.

“A most curious Jedi,” she said when she finally found her composure, “who cares more about his friends than his own mission. Hero. General.” She chuckled, walking toward him. “And now my servant.”

The weight of what she was suggesting fell upon him.

He turned away. “I will _not_ serve you,” he spat.

Miraj laughed again, placing a hand on his shoulder before circling in front of him.

“Your heart is not in your words,” she said. “You will stand beside me: a testament to my power. Here.” She held up his _lightsaber_. “My bodyguard will need a weapon.”

Oh, how Anakin longed to take the weapon, activate it, and sever the Queen’s head from her body. But he couldn’t. Not while his friends were in danger. So he just snatched it from her grasp and placed it on his belt. He really had no choice but to play along. For now.

Miraj laughed again, apparently amused at his anger. “And you need not worry about your friends,” she said, turning and walking toward the door. “They will be quite safe.”

_As long as you cooperate._

That was the implication.

* * *

Some strange bird-like creature was squawking right in Ahsoka’s montrals.

It was really screwing with her concentration.

She sat in a meditative position; her legs crossed beneath her and her eyes closed as she tried to find ‘inner peace.’ Or at least the closest she could get.

Some time ago, she’d awoken in a relatively small, box-like cage hanging on a hook just over the edge of the Zygerrian palace walls. Far below, she could see the city, the arena, and the rocky lands that surrounded the plateau. There was no telling how long she’d been out and, despite her efforts, she couldn’t find a way to open the cage. Even if she did, there was no place for her to go. She had no idea what had happened to Anakin, Obi-Wan, R2, or Rex, but she was sure that none of them had been killed. She surely would’ve sensed that.

When she’d tried to apprehend the Queen in the arena, Miraj had pressed a button on the chair she had been sitting in. Instantly, the metal collar around Ahsoka’s neck had sparked with electricity, shooting out blue sparks and sending waves of pain and sudden stimulation throughout her entire nervous system.

And then she’d blacked out.

The damn thing was still around her neck, but at least she wasn’t in binders. For now, she was just a prisoner. She’d just have to wait until an opportunity for escape presented itself or she was rescued. She could do that.

Suddenly, the bird creature squawked and flapped its wings, flying away. Overhead, she felt an oily, hard presence approach. A gravelly, harsh voice assaulted her montrals.

“The Queen has promised once the other Jedi is tamed, you will be _mine_ , little skug.” Atai Molec. A real piece of rankweed if ever there was one.

_The other Jedi?_

It had to be Anakin. Queen Miraj certainly had no reason for keeping Obi-Wan around, so that just left him. Good. Anakin was about as untamable as they came. He’d figure a way out of this as soon as he could. And it would probably involve a lot of dead Zygerrians.

That was okay with her.

Without even opening her eyes, she raised one hand and calmly made a small pushing motion.

From above, she heard Molec yelp in surprise as he slid off the railing he’d apparently been standing on. Thanks to the echolocation provided by her montrals, she knew he managed to just barely grab onto the ledge as he fell past it. He quickly scrambled back up onto the terrace, grunting with exertion and fear.

“You better hope that doesn’t happen,” Ahsoka said, opening her eyes.

She wasn’t exactly sure what ‘being his’ would entail, but she didn’t want to find out.

Without warning, the shock collar activated. Burning coils of electricity shot from it, sending pain searing throughout her body. Ahsoka cried out, arching her back and tensing all of her muscles involuntarily. It was as though a hot brand was being applied directly to her neck, scorching the skin of her throat with its sparking pincers.

And then it was over.

Panting, she placed her hands against the bars of her cage, bracing her shaking body against it.

If there was to be a rescue, it couldn’t come soon enough.

And then the collar went off again, and the torture started anew.

* * *

Rex, in binders, was led off the Zygerrian freighter alongside General Kenobi and Governor Roshti. The pair were accompanied by a full escort of Zygerrians armed with blasters and energy whips. They weren’t taking any chances. He, Kenobi, and Roshti had all been fitted with collars. If Rex knew his weapons – and he did – he recognized them as collars designed to emit electricity and quickly incapacitate the wearer.

Designed for animals, prisoners . . . and slaves.

The mess at the arena had been quite the issue. He knew it had been a dangerous, spur of the moment plan with a high chance of failure, but what choice did they have? They couldn’t allow Kenobi to be whipped in front of a crowd, and the Queen had given them an ultimatum. They were backed into a corner and had to fight.

Rex had tried his best.

He had hoped that his presence would’ve been an anomaly that the Zygerrians hadn’t prepared for. They’d all been focused on the arena and the royal box, only for him to spring into action and catch them by surprise. Or at least, that was what he’d hoped would happen. Sure, he’d managed to kill seven, but others had gotten the drop on him, causing him to end up going off a ledge and into the arena; completely exposed.

When the reinforcements had arrived with energy whips, he’d been an easy target.

He’d later awoken aboard the slave ship, under heavy guard alongside the others; helmetless and in binders.

Now, where were they?

As he, Kenobi, and Roshti were led down the ramp, Rex squinted in the sudden light and looked around.

They were on a rocky planet he did not recognize. They all descended the ramp onto a large, square landing platform that was attached to a huge, tower-like facility suspended over what seemed to be a hole in the planet's surface. Below, Rex couldn’t even make out the bottom. Ahead, he saw rows upon rows of Togruta men and women lined up, as though they were being presented to the new arrivals. They all stood upon outlined white squares on the floor and wore identical collars to the ones Rex and Kenobi had.

On the far side of the landing pad was a ramp leading up to an entranceway. An extremely fat, blue-furred Zygerrian sat in a hoverchair, overlooking the proceedings and flanked by more guards. Whatever this place was, he seemed to be in charge.

“My people,” gasped Governor Roshti. “We have found them!”

_Not in the way we had planned to, though._

“Keep moving, skug,” ordered the guards, shoving Rex and the others forward.

They approached the center of the pad.

“General Kenobi,” said the fat Zygerrian, looking smugly down at them. “You are the first Jedi I have entertained at our education center.” He gestured to the facility around them. “Few possess a Jedi’s resolve. And it is strength of will that is my greatest enemy.”

And with that, he reached down and pressed a button on one of the arms of his hoverchair.

There was instant screaming.

The white squares that several Togrutas stood upon suddenly disappeared, and they fell through the floor, down into the chasm below.

Rex’s eyes went wide and his mouth fell open.

Seven. Seven innocent lives were just ended. And for what?

Kenobi and Roshti both shared his reaction. There was silence for several moments, and Kenobi looked up toward the Zygerrian.

“Now that I have your attention, Jedi,” he said, smiling genially, “be aware that it will not be you who suffers should you defy me.” And he turned away, using his hoverchair to glide back into the facility and out of sight.

This was not good.

* * *

The Queen had wanted to go for a midafternoon ride on a Brezak, and Anakin had no choice but to go with her.

So, there he sat upon the creature, its reigns in his hands as he steered it as best he could through the air. It wasn’t exactly easy – Obi-Wan was the one who was good with animals – but he was doing what he could. It probably helped that it was trained to have a rider.

Miraj sat behind him, her arms wrapped around his chest and her head leaning against his shoulder.

It was . . . uncomfortable to say the least.

It was a strangely intimate gesture, complicated by several factors. Anakin’s resentment and hatred of her, the fact that he had a wife that he loved very much elsewhere, and the dynamic of him being her prisoner and – _not slave_ – servant while she was holding his friends hostage.

“You were once a slave, weren’t you?” Miraj asked suddenly.

The question caught Anakin off-guard.

“What makes you think I was a slave?” he asked.

“The noble selflessness in your eyes,” she said. “And your commitment to the service of something greater than yourself. Your Jedi, the Grand Republic, even your friends.”

Well, she had him pinned. And he didn’t like it.

“I don’t see commitment as slavery,” Anakin shot back, feeling the wind shoot through his hair.

It was so strange to be ‘free’ – to be flying through the air on the back of a wild creature that he could escape with – and to still be held prisoner. Even without any visible shackles.

“Oh, it is,” Miraj said, her voice full of scornful mirth, “when it comes at the cost of yourself. What you could be. With you willingly beside me, there is nothing we could not accomplish.” She laid her head on his shoulder once more.

Was she trying to . . . what? Turn him? Seduce him? She’d clearly taken a shine to him.

Anakin had no reason to pretend anymore. He was no longer ‘Lars Quell’ and thus his charm factor had dropped by a significant number.

“‘We’ are nothing,” he said bluntly. “You have all the power.”

_But not for long. Not if I can help it._

That seemed to shut her up.

She was quiet until they had returned to the palace. Anakin brought the Brezak in for a landing upon the balcony just outside of the Queen’s bedchambers. He slid off and helped her down. As he turned away, she caught his arm.

“What if I freed your friends?” she asked, raising an eyebrow as she stroked the neck of the docile flying lizard. “Would you promise to stay, commit to serving me?”

Anakin scowled. He couldn’t stay. He would never serve a vile slaver like her. Ever. But still . . . his friends would be free. Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, Rex. They would be saved. He knew he would do whatever it took to help them. What if . . . what if this was it? His only option. Could he?

_No! There has to be another way!_

But . . .

“If a Jedi as noble as you gave his word,” Miraj said, “I think you might keep it.”

Anakin turned away. “I don’t trust you.”

Miraj huffed angrily. “Have I been anything but honest?” she said, pursuing him. “I have no reason to lie. I am who I am. It is you, _you_ who are the complicated one.” She circled in front of him, cutting him off. “Now, Master Skywalker, the future of your friends lays in your hands. If they are to live as slaves, it will be you who keeps them that way.”

And she turned and walked away, leaving Anakin with only his tumultuous thoughts.

She really knew how to construct a prison, that was for sure. But what else could he expect from a slaver queen?

There didn’t seem to be a ‘right answer’ in sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You've Got Everything Now - The Smiths
> 
> They've really stepped in it now.
> 
> Here's an idea; I was thinking about trying to find someone willing to voice Ahsoka in the audio version of this series. I already floated the idea to one of my friends and he's willing to do the voices of the clones. I just don't think reading the whole thing with a modified voice is gonna fly lol, so I wanted other voices in the mix. I'm just not sure how to go about doing that. Thoughts?
> 
> I also have a Tumblr now. It's arcticmatter-77. I dunno what I'll do with it, if anything, but you can find me/contact me there.


	52. Inextinguishable Flames

**Zygerrian slave center, Kadavo**

Rex was sore. And hot. And pretty miserable.

Then again, just about everyone else in the room was as well.

He, General Kenobi, and what seemed to be the entirety of the Togruta colonists were all hard at work within the ‘education center.’ In reality, it was a mining facility of some sort that relied on slave labor.

The huge room they were in was dimly lit by orange lights in the ceiling. There were no windows, so there was no telling how long they’d been there. No sign of daylight or nighttime. The only way Rex could tell how much time was passing was by judging just how sore his body was getting. Thanks to his training on Kamino, he was in peak shape, but even he had his limits. Especially in bleak conditions like this, where the only noises he could hear was the groans and pained screams of Togrutas along with the crack of energy whips, and all he could see was darkness, dull orange light, and fire. Not to mention the fact that they were being guarded by trigger-happy Zygerrians

He and General Kenobi were currently shoveling coals from a furnace into a mining cart, alongside other prisoners.

Behind him, Rex heard the hum of a hoverchair. Glancing up, he saw the fat Zygerrian – who he learned was called Keeper Agruss – coming closer.

“Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Agruss said smugly, looking down at them, “once a Jedi Master, now a Jedi slave.” He broke off into husky cackles. “Pitiful.”

And he hovered away, leaving them to their work.

Kenobi paused and glanced around. “Everything about this place is designed to shatter the will,” he mused, his eyes narrowing with distaste. “It has already begun to affect these poor people.”

There was the sudden crack of a whip as it lashed out and struck Kenobi on his shock collar, sending a short jolt of electricity through him and causing both him and Rex to jerk back. Looking for the source of the whip, Rex saw a pair of Zygerrian guards snarling at them. One held the whip, while the other carried an electrostaff.

“Speech is forbidden!” growled the one holding the whip.

“I’m sorry,” Kenobi said, raising one hand in surrender. Ever the diplomat. Perhaps that was lucky. If it had been Rex, he might’ve tried to snap the guard’s neck. “It won’t happen again.”

But apparently, that wasn’t good enough.

“There will be punishment!” yowled the guard. Turning, he set his sights on a nearby Togruta.

In a flash, he raised his whip and cracked the man once right in the center of his back, causing him to cry out in pain and drop to the ground groaning and struggling to rise.

“No, stop!” General Kenobi said. He dropped his shovel and stepped forward. “It’s my mistake, leave him alone!”

Baring his teeth, the second guard lowered his electrostaff as Kenobi attempted to help the Togruta to his feet. He surged forward, pressing the electrified tip of the weapon against Kenobi’s collar and pushing. Kenobi jerked back and the guard pressed him, more electricity sparking from both the pike and the collar.

Kenobi shouted in pain and dropped to the ground, stunned.

“Now a slave gives _me_ commands?” the guard with the whip demanded. He whipped the fallen Togruta once more, eliciting another cry of pain and fear. “Beg! Beg me before this one dies because of you!”

Again and again, he whipped the fallen Togruta, electricity shooting from both the whip and the poor man’s collar.

Still on his knees, Kenobi raised one hand, stretching it out toward the Zygerrians. “Please,” he said, his voice ragged. “Forgive me . . . Master.”

That seemed to do it. They Zygerrian, laughing cruelly, deactivated his whip. Both of the guards turned and walked off, laughing at the plight of the Jedi Master.

Once they were out of earshot, Kenobi reached out for the Togruta man that the guards had whipped.

Instantly, the Togruta shook away the General’s hand. “Keep away from me!” he said. “Jedi only make things worse.”

Rex saw the shock and hurt in Kenobi’s eyes. The two glanced at one another.

How were they going to get themselves out of this one? If they tried to escape or fight back, innocents would suffer. And likely die. They were backed into one hell of a corner.

_I’d almost rather be on Geonosis._

_Well . . . Maybe not yet._

* * *

Anakin walked arm-in-arm with Queen Miraj through what seemed to be a royal garden of some sort. Guards and high-class Zygerrians passed them, talking with one another and admiring the assortment of plants and flowers that grew from patches of dirt and pots that hung from hooks on the walls.

It was rather picturesque.

If only he wasn’t being blackmailed into servitude. Or being tailed by a pair of armed guards.

“Have you considered my offer, Skywalker?” Miraj asked, glancing up at him. “If you vow loyalty to me, I will free your friends.”

Anakin kept his expression stony. “It’s not an easy decision,” he said.

“Hmm,” the Queen frowned. “Curious. I thought the Jedi were selfless, placing the needs of others before their own.”

She was right there, and Anakin often considered himself selfless. At least to some degree. But there were things even he would not do. Being a permeant bodyguard to slaver queen was one of them. Dying for others was one thing. He wasn’t scared of that, especially not in a war. But resigning himself to a life of servitude to someone he hated? He couldn’t do that. Not when it went against absolutely everything he believed in. Not when it would deprive him of his freedom, of his morals, of his dignity, and of Padmé.

There had to be another way.

At that moment, Anakin and the Queen were brought up short just before turning a corner as Atai Molec appeared in front of them, sinking into a quick bow.

“My queen,” he said, “I bring word. Count Dooku is on his way here.”

Anakin raised an eyebrow. Dooku? Here? Well, at least he had his lightsaber on him. If the Count was on his way, there was no doubt going to be trouble. Especially if he crossed paths with Anakin. And he certainly would.

The last time they’d met, he’d used MagnaGuards on Anakin and overwhelmed him; stunning him and taking him prisoner.

He didn’t intend for that to happen again.

Miraj sighed. “Sooner than anticipated,” she said, slipping away from Anakin. “Make preparations for his arrival.” She walked forward and stood before a balcony, looking out over the midday city.

Anakin and Molec shot murderous glances at one another before Molec turned and ran off.

“So even you have a master,” Anakin remarked, walking toward the Miraj.

“Dooku is _not_ my master,” the Queen hissed, sounding genuinely angry for the first time in a while. Apparently, he’d touched a nerve. But the moment passed as quickly as it had come. She turned back to face him. “Perhaps you should not attend this meeting. Can I trust you not to run away?”

She held out one imperious hand, silently asking for his lightsaber.

Anakin’s temper flared. He grabbed the weapon and held it right up to Miraj’s face.

“I don’t run away from anything, Your Highness,” he growled.

He was satisfied to see fear flash across the Queen’s cat-like face momentarily. Then, he heard the sound of blasters being readied behind him. The two Zygerrian guards he’d all but forgotten about had raised their weapons and had them pointed at the back of his head, ready to fire if he tried anything. Seeing that the situation was well in hand, Miraj chuckled, plucking the lightsaber from Anakin’s grasp. “Hmm,” was all she said as she slipped past him. She walked off with his weapon, leaving him to the two guards, who still had their blasters drawn.

Annoyed, Anakin raised his hands in surrender, but apparently that wasn’t good enough for them. One of the guards forced him to turn around, his hands still in the air, and face the city. If he didn’t know that the Queen still wanted to toy with him, he would’ve thought he was being prepared for execution.

Then, he heard a familiar series of angry bleeps, and the guard that had pushed Anakin snarled in fury, taking a step back.

“Get off, ya miserable tin can!”

Taking the chance, Anakin glanced behind him to see both Zygerrians looming over R2-D2, who had appeared out of nowhere to – once again – save the day.

Without thinking twice, Anakin hopped over the railing of the balcony, holding onto the edge just with his fingers and a little help from the Force. With any lucky, the guards would think he’d completely vanished.

There was silence for a moment, and then –

“Get down there and find that Jedi!”

“Yes, sir.”

The sound of booted footsteps fading away was his cue.

Anakin jumped back up onto the railing, right next to the remaining guard, who was still looking over the edge. Before the Zygerrian even realized what was happening, Anakin lashed out with his metal fist and caught the slaver right in the center of his face, stunning him. Then, he grabbed onto the back of his armor and, calling on the Force for some extra strength, tossed him right over the edge.

He screamed. It was a long fall.

Anakin clapped his hands together and stepped back onto the balcony. R2 whistled happily and he knelt down beside the droid, placing a hand on his domed head.

“Nice work, pal,” he said. “You find Ahsoka?”

The droid beeped in the affirmative, then activated his arm-mounted rocket boosters.

He could lead him to her.

Up they went; R2 using his boosters and Anakin using acrobatics and the Force to scale the palace walls. After a minute or two of clambering upwards, he spied several square cages hanging from off the side of the palace walls.

When he focused, he could sense Ahsoka’s Force-signature coming from one of them.

R2 jetted up past the cage and landed on the terrace just above it. Anakin leapt atop the cage and peered down inside of it, frightening off a pair of lizard-birds that had been perched upon it.

Ahsoka, noticing him, looked up. She was lying on her side, looking tired, bored, and ready to leave. Good. At least she didn’t seem to be dying.

“Well, hello, Master,” she said, giving him a weak smile. “Took you long enough.”

_And she still has her attitude._

Anakin straightened. “Well, I knew you had a nice view,” he said.

He jumped onto the terrace and turned back toward the cage. Reaching out with the Force, he picked it up off its hooks and lifted it into the air. Carefully, he maneuvered it onto solid ground just in front of him before yanking one of the sides off.

Reaching down, he took Ahsoka’s hand and helped her to her feet. “Are you okay?” There was no telling what the Zygerrians had done to her.

The first thing she did upon standing was reach up and use the Force to break apart the bulky shock collar that had been fitted around her neck.

“I sense a disturbance in the Force,” she said. Not a direct answer, but it was good enough for now.

“It’s Dooku,” Anakin said. He reached into his belt beneath his Zygerrian armor and withdrew a commlink. He held it out to her. “I need you to get our ship. Here, take this commlink.”

She took it and he turned away.

“Where are you going?” she demanded, folding her arms.

“The Queen knows where Obi-Wan is,” Anakin said, glancing back. She _had_ to. “Hold onto that commlink and wait for my signal.”

With that, he turned away and jumped upwards once more, though he still heard Ahsoka sigh with annoyance at being left out.

* * *

Rex lay on his back in his assigned bunk, staring up at the bottom part of the bunk above him.

The room was nearly pitch black, lit only by small slits in the walls near the ceiling that allowed a few beams of moonlight to shine through. Around him, Togrutas were attempting to sleep or moving toward their own assigned beds. Zygerrian guards slowly patrolled the rows, wielding electrostaffs and making sure that no one was missing or attempting to escape.

Just across from Rex, sitting upon his own bunk, was General Kenobi.

They’d been stuck in the facility for almost forty-eight hours now. If Rex wasn’t taking this whole ‘imprisonment and enslavement’ thing very well, then Kenobi was much worse off. He was actually starting to crack. As a Jedi, helping others and fighting against people like Zygerrians who abused power. But that wasn’t working here. If the Jedi talked back, gave the guards a dirty look, or put even half a toe out of line, the Zygerrians wouldn’t punish him. Well, not as much as they would have otherwise. Instead, they took it out on the Togrutas. Whipping them, electrocuting them, stripping them of what little rations they were given.

In any case, the other prisoners tried to avoid being around Kenobi as best they could.

Rex was a clone. Not only did he have plenty of experience holding his tongue and taking commands that he personally disagreed with or hated, he also was trained in resisting his will being broken. He was sure it was the same with Jedi to some extent, but the General still desperately wanted to help the Togrutas. But if he did that, he’d only hurt them. It was clearly a hard pill for him to swallow. There was also the fact that Rex did what he always did when things got tough on the battlefield: focus his thoughts and goals around Ahsoka. Getting out of here, freeing the Togrutas, making sure she was okay, fighting for the future. If he just clung to that, he'd be alright.

Rex wanted to help the Togrutas too, but he doubted he or Kenobi would get the chance on their own. They had to wait for the right moment. For some opportunity.

“Holding up alright, sir?” Rex asked, his voice low so as not to attract the attention of the guards.

“Hmm?” Kenobi said, glancing over as though he’d only just realized that Rex was there. “Oh. Well, no. I suppose not.”

“Come on,” Rex said. “I hope you’re not thinking of giving up. We’ve been in worse scrapes, right?”

The General frowned, stroking his beard. “None that I can think of at the moment. And even if I could, I’m not sure they would compare to all this.” He gestured around at the rows of bunks housing enslaved Togrutas. “Civilian casualties and prisoners are one thing, but a loss of not only life but personal freedom on a scale such as this . . . And we are powerless to stop it. I must say, it is rather disheartening.”

“We’ll figure something out,” Rex said. “We always do. And there’s still Skywalker and Ahs – Commander Tano to consider. Neither of them are here. Which means they might show up to save our _shebs_.”

That was certainly what he was hoping for. The alternative was that they’d been killed. But Rex would’ve sensed that, at least for Ahsoka. Still, though, these were slavers they were dealing with. There were always worse possibilities than death.

And didn’t – _couldn’t_ – dwell on that.

As much as he wanted to think about Ahsoka – If for no other reason than to give him something to keep his mind clear while in a hellhole like the one he currently found himself in – it was hard to do that without wondering what she was doing right then. Was she okay? Had she and Skywalker escaped or were they still in trouble? He just had to not dwell on the possibilities and keep his mind on getting himself out of prison and making absolutely sure she was okay.

It still worried him.

Kenobi gave a weak chuckle. “I suppose so, Captain,” he agreed. “But the longer this all goes on, the worse it will get.”

“You can’t win a battle on your own,” Rex advised. “And you can’t save everyone.”

Kenobi sighed. “That is the reality,” he said, shaking his head. “But it’s never the outcome one hopes to come to. How is it that you’re keeping your head straight in here?”

Rex snorted. “Clones don’t break, sir,” he explained. “We’re trained not to break during interrogation and are naturally resistant to most mental strain. This doesn’t seem much different to me.” He didn't mention his 'find something to fight for' tactic. It didn't seem to be an appropriate thing to discuss with Kenobi.

“Ah,” Kenobi said, frowning. He was silent for a moment, then spoke again. “You do think we can save these people, don’t you?”

Rex calculated their chances.

Then threw them away.

“Yeah,” he said. “I think we can. Just have to wait for the right opportunity is all. That, and not let this place drive us crazy, or we won’t be able to help anyone at all.”

* * *

Anakin burst into the throne room to find a chaotic scene awaiting him.

There were no guards. No slaves. Atai Molec stood next to the throne on the other side of the room, his hands folded behind his back as he watched on. Queen Miraj was hovering a few inches above the floor, her hands clutching at her throat as she made awful choking sounds. On the floor next to her was a smashed glass and a deactivated energy whip.

A meter in front of her, his back to Anakin, was Count Dooku.

Tall, slender, bearded, and gray-haired, the Count had his hands clasped behind his back, not even looking as he suffocated Queen Miraj.

“That’s enough, Dooku!” Anakin barked, marching towards them.

Like a puppet cut from her strings, the Queen was suddenly released, collapsing upon the floor. Struggling, she dragged herself away from Dooku, looking back toward Anakin. She reached one, trembling hand up towards him.

“Skywalker . . .”

And she lapsed into unconsciousness.

“I see the queen has given you a long leash,” remarked Count Dooku in his low, serene voice, slowly turning to face him. “One more step and I will end her life.”

“Why would you think I care about this slaver scum?” Anakin said, his eyes narrowed. But he stopped all the same.

He still needed to find out where Obi-Wan and Rex were being kept.

“Indeed.”

The count reached into his belt and drew his lightsaber. Shifting into a one-handed stance, his body sideways and one hand tucked behind his back, he activated the weapon, pointing its blood-red blade at Anakin.

_I don’t have my lightsaber._

He’d given it to Miraj, but he didn’t immediately spy it on her. Thinking quickly, he reached out with the Force and pulled her discarded energy whip toward him. Catching it, he flicked the whip into life, its bright orange tendril appearing as he cracked it threateningly.

Not waiting for the Count to make the first move, he took a step forward, thrashing the whip out toward his opponent. Dooku barely moved as he caught the end of the whip on his lightsaber, blocking the blow. Again and again, Anakin struck out at him, but Dooku kept evading or knocking aside his strikes. The Count tried to stab him, to decapitate him, but Anakin was too quick; dodging the blows and moving in for another attempted strike.

This wasn’t exactly going well. Dooku was a formidable opponent even when Anakin had a lightsaber of his own. Now, using a weapon he wasn’t familiar with, he worried that he was only delaying an inevitable defeat.

Sure enough, as Anakin raised the whip over his head and got ready to deliver a vicious downward blow, Dooku moved his weapon with incredible speed and struck the whip close to his hand, sending the weapon soaring out of his hand. It clattered to the floor far out of his reach, and the force of the blow caused Anakin to lose his balance and fall to the ground as well. He glanced back up at the Count who lowered his lightsaber and, grinning cruelly, raised his free hand to send a jolt of Force Lightning towards him.

With no lightsaber to block it and no way to dodge it at such close range, Anakin caught the full force of the Force-generated electricity. Hot pain shot through his entire body and he flew backward several meters. Dark lightning continued to surge through him, causing him to groan and spasm in pain as he tried in vain to rise.

“The queen!” shouted a voice.

The lightning suddenly stopped.

Anakin looked up to see a trio of armed Zygerrian guards frozen in shock at the entrance of the room.

“She was murdered by the Jedi,” Dooku said, taking control of the situation. Of course the guards would believe him. Anakin pressed the commlink on his wrist, signaling to Ahsoka that she’d better get to him and be ready to leave as soon as possible. “Take your vengeance!”

Without much choice, Anakin ducked the initial hail of blaster fire from the guards, who had raised their weapons and taken aim in a matter of seconds. Scooping up the Queen in his arms, he leapt up into the air. Landing briefly onto a balcony higher in the throne room. Still under fire, he jumped closer to the large window directly behind the throne itself.

Blaster bolts pierced the window as they shot past him, weakening the transparasteel as they did so. Seeing his opportunity and hoping that Ahsoka and R2-D2 were as reliable as they usually were, Anakin jumped once more, this time directly toward the window itself. Bracing himself for impact, he crashed into it and broke through, leaving Dooku, Molec, and the guards behind as he tumbled into open air with the Queen still in his arms.

Just as he’d hoped, their stolen Zygerrian freighter was hovering just outside, waiting for him.

Anakin righted himself in midair and landed in a crouch on the floating ship’s extended ramp. He jogged forward, stepping into the main cargo area as the ramp slid back into its sheath and the bay doors closed. He felt the freighter jostle slightly as Ahsoka piloted it away from the palace.

But she would need a destination other than just ‘away.’

“Your Highness,” Anakin said, shaking Miraj gently as he set her on the metal floor. He needed that information and he needed it now.

She seemed to be dying.

“No escape . . .” she muttered, weakly, raising one hand. Anakin realized she was holding his lightsaber. “For any of us.”

He took it. “Where is Obi-Wan? Tell me.”

There was no fight left in her. She sucked in a sharp breath. “Kadavo system,” she gasped. “You were right, Skywalker.” She chuckled ruefully. “I am a slave. Just as you are . . .”

Miraj’s head lolled, and one last breath escaped her mouth.

Anakin half opened his mouth to utter a scathing reply, but there was no point. She was dead.

And he felt . . . well, he wasn’t sure.

It didn’t exactly satisfy him, knowing the Queen was dead. But why? Because he hadn’t killed her himself? Because he almost pitied her?

Anakin shook his head, releasing the Queen, whose body fell limply to the deck.

He was _not_ a slave. And he never would be again.

His hands closed into fists as he stalked toward the lift leading toward the bridge. The Kadavo system. Rex, Obi-Wan, and the Togrutas needed saving. And he was going to do it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inextinguishable Flames - The Soundtrack of The Last of Us Part 2
> 
> Anakin gets what he wants, but it doesn't make him feel any better.  
> Obi-Wan struggles to remain hopeful  
> Rex clings to what he can  
> Ahsoka is as resilient as usual, scared or not


	53. The Birds

**Zygerrian mining facility, Kadavo**

Obi-Wan grunted and Captain Rex – both in binders – were roughly pushed into what appeared to be some sort of command center.

Zygerrians manned control stations around the square room, while in the center there was a large, rectangular area lower than the rest of the area, housing some sort of holotable. Two guards stood on either side of the interior door, along with two that had escorted Obi-Wan and Rex into the room. Keeper Agruss floated over in his holochair, looking just as satisfied as usual.

Obi-Wan grunted in pain as he felt an electrostaff bite into his back, urging him to take a rough step forward. He and Rex were prodded down a small flight of stairs into the lower area of the room; right in front of the Keeper.

Now on his knees, Obi-Wan looked up at Agruss’ grinning, furry face.

“Someone wishes to speak with you,” he said.

He floated aside, and from the holotable was suddenly projected the image of a frowning Count Dooku, his gaze stern and his arms folded over his chest.

“Obi-Wan Kenobi,” he said, and Obi-Wan saw the faintest hint of a smile pass over his lips. “In chains once again, I see.”

“Count Dooku,” Obi-Wan said, mustering every bit of strength he had. His voice was ragged; the product of both numerous shouts of pain and lack of real usage. “Still afraid to get your hands dirty.”

“I would gladly make an exception in your case, my friend,” Dooku said. “I wanted to say a proper farewell before Keeper Agruss puts you to death.” He gestured at the Keeper, who smiled evilly and clasped his meaty hands together, as though he could not wait to do just that.

Beside him, Captain Rex gritted his teeth together. Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. So much for waiting for the right opportunity to escape and free the Togrutas. They were never going to get that chance.

And then, an alarm sounded.

One of the Zygerrians at a command station whirled around. “Keeper,” he shouted, “the slave ship _Tecora_ is making an unscheduled landing on platform two-four.”

Dooku narrowed his eyes. “Skywalker,” he seethed. “Kenobi, tell your young friend Skywalker if he does not surrender, the slaves will be terminated in his name.”

Damn him.

Obi-Wan couldn’t allow 50,000 Togrutas to be executed in order to save his life or the lives of any of his friends. The cost was just too great. He had no choice but to comply.

Scowling, he nodded mutely.

Another hologram appeared beside Dooku.

Anakin and Ahsoka were both there, pressed against some sort of cover and wearing their usual Jedi attire as opposed to their Zygerrian disguises. R2-D2 also was there, and Anakin appeared to be in the middle of cutting through a door with his lightsaber.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat.

“Anakin!” he called, immediately catching his former Padawan’s attention. He paused and looked over at Obi-Wan through what he assumed was a viewscreen of some sort. “I’m glad to see you, but I’m afraid our host feels otherwise.”

Anakin grinned. “Well, you can’t make everyone happy, Master,” he quipped, continuing to cut through the door.

Now was unfortunately not the time for jokes.

“They’re threatening to kill the slaves unless you surrender,” Obi-Wan said.

“It’s good to see you’re always ready to negotiate,” Anakin said. “But I’ve had enough bargaining with slave drivers.” His expression fouled.

Surely, he couldn’t be serious. He had to realize that, like it or not, the Zygerrians and Dooku currently held all the cards. They could not, under any circumstances, let harm come to the Togrutas on their behalf. They had no choice but to surrender.

“Anakin, you must realize this is a fight you cannot win alone,” Obi-Wan implored him.

Anakin grinned again. “Who said I was alone?”

More alarms sounded. “Keeper!” said a second Zygerrian. “A fleet of warships has dropped out of hyperspace in sector six.”

“Jedi reinforcements,” Agruss cursed.

The station shook.

_Well, in that case . . ._

“Rex, now!” Obi-Wan shouted, instantly using the Force to pull of both the clone captain’s shock collar and his own.

Before, with the threat of harm to the other slaves and no way of winning, this hadn’t been an option. Now, however, with Anakin and Ahsoka on site and Republic ships closing in, they could afford to risk this.

“About time,” Rex grinned, surging to his feet.

* * *

Ahsoka – now thankfully out of that dreadful slave costume – darted out of the cargo bay of their stolen slave ship and followed Anakin across the landing pad of the slave mining facility they’d found, R2 right on her heels.

It was a good thing they had made such a hasty departure, as by the time they were halfway across the landing platform, huge, square turrets placed upon towers around the pad swiveled toward the ship and opened fire. Ahsoka instinctively ducked even though the large, yellow turbolasers were not aimed at her.

_Boom!_

Ahsoka and Anakin both glanced back to see their freighter suddenly combust. Fire, smoke, and twisted durasteel flew everywhere. They ducked, and a huge piece of metal flew over their heads, sailing through the air past them and colliding with the wall next to the door leading into the facility.

Then the turrets swiveled and targeted them.

The three of them raced forward, taking shelter in the alcove over the door, pressing themselves against it in order to avoid the arc of their fire.

The door didn’t open.

“So much for our ride home,” Anakin said.

“What now?” Ahsoka asked.

Anakin drew his lightsaber and activated it. “We get through the old-fashioned way,” he said, and plunged the blade of his weapon into the metal door. Slowly, he began to cut away at it, slicing a red-hot, burning hole into its surface.

Suddenly, a viewscreen in the wall next to them flickered into life. An image of Obi-Wan appeared. He looked pretty ragged; his face marred by dirt, soot, and cuts. His usually perfectly combed hair was messy, and he had a shock collar around his neck just like the one Ahsoka was wearing not long ago.

“Anakin!” he said. “I’m glad to see you, but I’m afraid our host feels otherwise.”

“Well, you can’t make everyone happy, Master,” Anakin said, pausing in his carving.

A turbolaser bolt slammed into the ground only a meter or two from Ahsoka, causing her to press herself further into the door.

“They’re threatening to kill the slaves unless you surrender,” Obi-Wan said, sounding urgent. He was certainly under duress.

“It’s good to see you’re always ready to negotiate,” Anakin said. “But I’ve had enough bargaining with slave drivers.”

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan admonished, his brow furrowing, “you must realize this is a fight you cannot win alone.”

Anakin cocked his head. “Who said I was alone?”

Of course, the first thing Ahsoka and Anakin had done when they’d left Zygerria had been to contact the GAR and let them know the situation. They’d been assured that reinforcements were coming.

At that moment, Ahsoka’s commlink exploded with chatter.

“Wolf Leader to Wolf Pack, accelerate to attack speed,” said a deep, filtered voice that Ahsoka recognized instantly as that of Master Plo’s.

“This is Warthog,” replied another voice. “We’re going in!”

Overhead, Ahsoka saw Republic ships appear in the upper atmosphere. An _Arquitens_ -class light cruiser, accompanied by an escort of LAAT/is and Z-95 Headhunters. She even spied a single, blue and white Jedi Delta interceptor among the other Republic fighters.

The turrets shifted their focus from Ahsoka, Anakin, and R2 and turned skyward, taking aim at the approaching GAR ships. Fighters screamed overhead, taking shots at the facility's defenses. But nothing happened.

“Those towers are ray-shielded,” Master Plo warned.

Anakin returned to cutting open the door as Ahsoka watched the fight.

“I hope you told Master Plo not to destroy this facility before we get off of it,” Ahsoka said, her back to the door.

“Yeah,” Anakin agreed, “all of us and the slaves.”

He finished completing his circle, withdrew his lightsaber, and kicked the slab of metal, causing it to tip inwards and allowing them both access to the facility.

“We’ll need a bigger ship,” Ahsoka mused, following him inside.

It hadn’t even been two seconds before a Zygerrian guard appeared at the other side of the short hallway they found themselves in. He snarled, raised his blaster, and started firing almost point-blank at the two Jedi.

Anakin batted the bolts aside and Ahsoka drew her own ‘saber, making ready for a fight.

Before she could even do anything, however, Anakin rushed forward. He sliced almost completely through the guard’s torso, sending him spinning – dead – to the floor. Two more guards rushed in from a hallway to the left, and Anakin spun to face them, twisting in a deadly arc that saw the first guard cut in half at his pelvis and the second taking Anakin’s lightsaber right through his sternum. The Zygerrian gasped and stiffened, and Anakin withdrew his blade from the slaver’s chest, allowing him to sink to the floor with the other two.

He looked back at Ahsoka, frowning, as though he were chastising her for not reacting quickly enough.

Ahsoka wasn’t about to mourn the dead Zygerrians – they were the enemy, and vile slavers to boot – but it still didn’t sit right with her just how eager Anakin was to slay them. It seemed . . . excessive. But there wasn’t time to think about that. Right now, she had to focus on finding and helping Rex, her people, and Obi-Wan.

Shutting down her lightsaber for the moment, she joined her Master, and together, the two of them darted down the hallway deeper into the facility. They ran down dimly lit corridors, not encountering any more guards as they did. Perhaps they had all gone to defensive positions in order to fight against the sudden arrival of Republic forces. They turned this way and that. No guards, no slaves. Nothing. All throughout the facility, alarms were blaring, signaling the conflict that was going on above.

Then, Anakin’s commlink went off.

“The controls are destroyed, Master Plo,” said Obi-Wan’s frantic voice. “There’s nothing we can do from here!”

“I cannot move the cruiser in for the rescue operation until those enemy cannons are destroyed,” Master Plo replied, with the sound of laser fire and beeping controls coming through on his end.

Anakin raised the link to his mouth. “We’ll take care of those cannons,” he said. “Just make sure that cruiser gets down here. We are running out of time!” He cut the link.

“I’m gonna go help my people,” Ahsoka piped up. They were _so_ close. Surely Anakin and Master Plo could handle things. She had to stop this from getting any worse. “I’ll see if I can buy us some time.”

Anakin nodded. “Good luck.”

The two Jedi came to a ‘T’ intersection and split off in opposite directions. Anakin went left – either back toward the landing pad or the control center – while Ahsoka darted right – hopefully toward a lift of some sort.

Before they’d landed at the mining facility, R2 had done a bioscan of the entire place. According to him, there was a large quantity of life signs congregated in a huge room at the very bottom of the structure. She was sure that was where they would be. She just had to get there in time.

After a short lift ride and running down a few more hallways, Ahsoka came to a huge door. She pressed against it, but it refused to slide open of its own accord. Locked. Hopefully from her side. Spying a bright green holodisplay near the door, Ahsoka darted over to it and pressed a few buttons, manipulating a small display that she hoped was the locking mechanism.

Sure enough, after a second or two, there was a pneumatic hiss and the large slabs of metal started to retract into the wall, giving her access to the room beyond.

Upon seeing the inside, she instantly saw that they were going to have a few problems.

Togrutas – both male and female – were huddled together in the middle of the room. Or, at least, what passed as the middle. The floor itself was slowly shrinking; sliding away into the wall and revealing more and more of the gaping hole beneath the facility. In a matter of minutes, there would be nothing left for the prisoners to stand on and they’d all plummet to their deaths. To add to the chaos, it appeared that the walls were all electrified; emitting a white, crackling energy that dissuaded anyone from nearing or touching it.

Without hesitation, Ahsoka leapt across the gap between the door and the Togrutas, landing nimbly upon the platform. They made room for her, and she heard muttered whispers of “a Jedi!” and “maybe she can save us.”

She would certainly try.

There were issues, though. Like the fact that there didn’t seem to be a way to get everyone back across the rapidly lengthening gap and back into the main facility. If Obi-Wan and Rex couldn’t shut off the trap from where they were, then things were looking grim.

She stared downward. That was a big hole.

_Actually . . ._

Her commlink buzzed. “We’re all clear, Master Plo,” came Anakin’s voice. “Bring the cruiser down to the landing pad.”

“Cancel that order, Master!” Ahsoka broke in, crouching on the edge of the floor and peering down into the abyss. “There’s no way to get the people out of the holding cell and up to the landing platform. But I have an idea. We need to have the cruiser move in underneath the facility. We can escape onto the ship if Admiral Coburn can get in close enough.”

* * *

As General Kenobi pulled his usual acrobatics, Rex surged to his feet and turned on the guard closest to him.

The whole facility shook as the Zygerrian snarled in Rex’s face and raised his electrostaff, ready to strike at Rex’s chest. Instead, the clone captain raised his hands protectively in front of him, and the charged end of the staff connected with his binders, short-circuiting the little ringlets of metal and freeing his hands.

With the playing field now just a little bit more level, Rex dove forward and tackled the guard into the steps, dashing the staff from his hands and maintaining a position of power over him. Unleashing just some of the pent-up rage he’d felt since this whole damned mission had started, he lashed out with his fists, catching the guard again and again right in his face.

Blood and teeth splattered both his hands and the stairs.

There was a sudden alarm and Kenobi shouted. “No!”

Rex glanced up from the defeated guard to see Keeper Agruss smashing one of the command screens into pieces.

_He just has to be a pain in the ass at every turn._

Unable to do anything at the moment, Rex snatched up the fallen electrostaff and swiveled to face another guard that was closing in on him. This one had a staff of his own and raised it threateningly.

As he swung, the clone parried using his weapon, forcing the Zygerrian to push against him. But that was just what Rex wanted. Using the guard’s momentum against him, Rex deflected the blow from the staff and shoved his elbow right into the slaver’s face, sending him stumbling back toward the wall beside the main door. Grunting with effort, Rex lashed out with his electrostaff, batting his enemy’s feebly raised weapon away and sending the electrified tip right into his stomach. He held it there firmly as the Zygerrian cried out and electricity surged through him.

Payback really was sweet, wasn’t it?

Yet, no sooner had he dropped that guard than another one appeared, grabbing at Rex’s staff and attempting to wrench it from his grasp.

In the background, Rex was dimly aware of Kenobi running toward the console that the Keeper had just smashed to bits, pressing at it in a desperate attempt to get it working again.

Finally, he managed to yank his staff away from the Zygerrain and swatted at his clawed hands. Rewarded by a snarl and an opening for his efforts, he spun the staff and attempted to slam it into his opponent’s jaw. The guard still had some fight in him, however, and grabbed the metal bar, pushing back at him.

Thinking quickly, Rex pulled the Zygerrian toward him and slammed the top of his head into his face. Despite the pain that erupted in his own skull, the guard slumped to the floor and the staff clattered to the ground.

Another one down.

And then the door to the command center slid open and in walked two more guards. One with another electrostaff and the other wielding a blaster.

“Incoming!” Rex called to Kenobi.

It was all he really had time to do before they were on him. As the one with the blaster ran forward and took aim at the General, the other engaged Rex.

He jabbed at the Captain with his electrostaff, but Rex sidestepped the blow, grabbing the weapon and pulling the slaver toward him. He kicked out with one foot, hitting the Zygerrian in the shin and sending him off balance. Seizing this opportunity, Rex yanked the electrostaff from his grasp and wound up, using the blunt end of the weapon as a club and striking the guard over the head, knocking him out.

He turned to see how Kenobi was faring.

The General had used the Force to brush aside the other guard as he rushed him, pushing him roughly into another display and knocking him out for the count. Then, he’d reached out and pulled his lightsaber from Agruss’ chair, holding it ignited and in a ready position, very unJedi-like anger apparent on his face.

And yet Agruss smiled still. “Come now, Master Kenobi,” the Keeper said smugly. “I know a Jedi won’t kill an unarmed man.”

And there they stood – and sat – frozen.

He really wouldn’t do it.

Without pause, Rex twisted his electrostaff and held it high over his head like a javelin. He aimed, drew it back, then sent it soaring across the room.

It had enough force behind it that, as Agruss turned toward him, the electrified head pierced his large gut and went clean through the back of his damn chair. The Zygerrian let out a strangled grunt, his hands instinctively grasping the weapon as his features tightened in shock and pain.

“I’m no Jedi,” Rex said.

The hoverchair seemed to malfunction, careening around the room before accelerating wildly and crashing into a wall-sized holodisplay, cracking the transparasteel and embedding Agruss’ body into the readout.

He went limp.

* * *

Ahsoka looked over the edge and saw the light cruiser slowly floating into position below.

This was it.

Wolffe, Sinker, Comet, Wildfire, and Sif all raced along the upper hull, activating JT-12 jetpacks attached to their armor and soaring up into the air; halfway between the ship and the prisoners. Raising their DC-15s, they shot grapple cables into the ceiling of the cell, which would hopefully allow everyone to slide down onto the ship with relative safety.

Ahsoka got to her feet and turned to face her people.

“Okay, everyone,” she said, raising her hands to draw attention to herself. “Get ready. We’ll have to go by groups.”

Those closest to her nodded, understanding her instructions.

Five at a time, the prisoners began jumping out over the drop and grabbing onto the cables to slow their falls. Ahsoka moved among them, beckoning others forward as both the number of prisoners and the amount of space they had left dwindled.

A sudden scream from behind grabbed her attention.

Whirling about, Ahsoka saw that a Togruta woman with long lekku and drab green skin had missed the cable she’d meant to grab onto and had slipped over the edge. She fell off the platform with nothing to break her descent aside from the hard durasteel of the ship below.

Reacting quickly, Ahsoka dove off the edge and shot past the falling Togrua, using the Force to both speed her own descent and soften her landing. She had just enough time to straighten up, reach out, and catch the woman before she hit the metal.

“Gotcha.” She breathed a sigh of relief.

Above her, the last of the prisoners were making their escape.

A few more missed the ropes and fell, but were quickly scooped up by Sinker and Sif before being lowered down onto the hull of the ship.

“That’s everyone,” Wolffe said, appearing by her side as she set the Togruta woman down on her feet. “We have to go. The facility’s breaking up.”

He didn’t need to tell her twice. Or any of the other prisoners. If they ever saw anything like this place again, it would be too soon.

Wolffe signaled to his men to pack it in, and everyone began running across the ship toward the nearest airlock.

Above, she heard the whine of missiles and several explosions as gunships started to target the facility’s supports.

_Good. I hope they burn this place to the ground._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Birds - The Weeknd  
> (I felt compelled to use a Weeknd song after he gave us the best Superbowl Halftime Show I've seen in years)
> 
> I bet all that violence felt pretty good after this arc lol.
> 
> And yeah, I know technically Sif is a female name, but I figured at least someone in the Wolfpack should be named after the Great Grey Wolf


	54. The Bourne Identity

**Hangar bay of Republic cruiser, Kadavo system**

Ahsoka walked alongside Anakin, Obi-Wan, R2-D2, Governor Roshti, and Master Plo as they surveyed the rather chaotic scene around them.

The imprisoned Togrutas had been rescued and were currently being unloaded from the light cruiser and onto a _Venator_. The 104th was busy escorting prisoners to the medical bay and making sure the survivors were as safe and healthy as possible.

It had been a trying day for them all, as well as Anakin, Obi-Wan, Rex, and herself. She hadn’t been able to check in with Rex yet, but she knew she’d absolutely be making time for that as soon as possible.

Governor Roshti was in the midst of expressing his gratitude. “I thank you, the Jedi, and the Republic for saving our lives,” he said, smiling kindly.

“Ahsoka is the real hero,” Anakin said, drawing to a stop and gesturing to his Apprentice. “Without her creativity, I don’t think we would have gotten your people to safety.”

Ahsoka glanced away as she felt a heavy blush creep up her face and headtails. She really had just been doing her duty. But it certainly had been personal this time. She felt a long-fingered hand rest upon her shoulder and glanced down to see that it belonged to Master Plo. Naturally

“Indeed,” nodded Governor Roshti looking at Ahsoka. “Padawan Tano, might I have a word in private?”

“Of course,” Ahsoka nodded, bowing slightly.

The other Jedi did the same before splitting off and leaving Ahsoka to walk side-by-side with the Governor.

“Ahsoka,” he said, looking down at her, “you have done a great deed for your people today.”

His words were kind, but there was something else there. Focusing, Ahsoka felt the Force around him.

“You're sad,” she said, confused.

“Well, you and the Jedi have done your best,” he nodded, “but I do not think our people will recover from this horror anytime soon.” He gestured around at the Togrutas being tended to by the 104th medics as well as medical droids.

Ahsoka sighed. “I understand,” she said. And they hadn’t been able to save everyone, either. Some had died before they’d reached the facility. As slaves. But there was always hope, wasn’t there? She turned to Roshti. “But . . . in the end, surviving this will only strengthen the people.”

“Perhaps,” the Governor pondered. “And perhaps the people of Kiros will also join the Republic.”

Ahsoka smiled. “I think that’s a wise choice, Governor.”

Her people would recover. Not today, maybe. But they would. And Ahsoka was honored to have been able to play a part in starting that recovery.

* * *

Rex had stripped out of his Zygerrian armor – _finally_ – and now wore his blacks. He was in his plastoid armor up to his waist, complete with his kama. The familiar weight felt good; comforting. Especially after the strange tumultuous couple of days he’d just had.

He was sitting at a table in the cruiser’s mess hall, along with Wolffe, Sinker, Boost, Comet, Wildfire, Warthog, and Sif; all helmetless. None of the 501st was aboard the ship, so he had to make due with them. Not that it was a bad thing; the Wolf Pack was alright company. They were a bit more tightly-knit than other units, though, meaning ‘outsiders’ often felt excluded.

This was Rex, though. He and Wolffe went way back.

“Why do you always get the strangest missions?” asked Boost. “Posing as some Zygerrian slaver and trying to rip apart an empire from the inside? Not exactly something the rest of us ever have the chance to do.”

“I can’t say I recommend it,” Rex said.

He was still sore all over from the work he’d been forced to do, and his neck ached from the number of shocks he’d received thanks to that damn collar they’d had him wear. Coric and Kix would probably go into conniptions when he got back.

“Sounded like work for ARC troopers,” Sif said. “Not us regular boys.”

“Well,” Rex shrugged. “Wherever Skywalker and Ahsoka go, I go. And they seem to get the wildest missions.”

“Everyone always says the Five-Oh-First gets the best and worst of the war,” Wildfire remarked. “Guess you just gotta live with it.”

Boost snorted. “I dunno,” he said. “I wouldn’t wanna be in the Twelfth Sector Army. Those guys have it rough.”

“Hear, hear,” Rex said. “In any case, I’m not looking to do something like that again anytime soon.”

Rex heard the door to the mess hall slide open.

Glancing around, he saw that Ahsoka had stepped into the room, glancing around as though looking for something. He hadn’t seen her in days. And the last time he did, she’d been wearing a slave collar and standing next to Queen Miraj at the slave auction. Now there was no collar. No stupid ornate costume. Just her. Almost instinctively, Rex stood. In the background, he heard Sinker, Comet, and Warthog devolve into muffled laughter, but that wasn’t important.

The movement had drawn her attention, and Ahsoka’s eyes found him. They both stood there for a second or two, just staring.

And then Ahsoka ran across the nearly empty mess hall and threw her arms around him. Rex caught her and took half a step back. He wasn’t exactly surprised at her reaction – she’d done it plenty of times before – but the force of her embrace still caught him a little off guard. She hadn’t hugged him without his armor before, so this whole thing was a bit new to him.

“Rex!” she gushed, pulling back so she could look up at him. “How are you? Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Rex said. “Yeah, I’m alright. You?”

Ahsoka shrugged, smiling crookedly. “Could’ve been a lot worse than it was. I did alright, I think.”

“That’s good. I –”

“No, no, go on,” interrupted Wildfire. “It’s not like we’re all sitting here watching or anything.”

Ahsoka’s eyes widened and she released Rex. The pair of them took a healthy step back from one another. Rex was red, and Ahsoka’s montrals had become extremely vivid. An odd silence fell over everyone, as though they were all waiting for something to happen. But nothing did.

“You can sit back down, you know,” Wolffe said to Rex, raising one eyebrow and looking as though he was resisting rolling his eyes will all of his willpower.

Awkwardly, Rex sank back down into his seat, choosing not to look at anyone. Especially Comet.

Ahsoka placed her arm on Rex’s shoulder, leaning on him and addressing the clones. “Uh, thanks for the backup, guys,” she said, changing the subject. “We probably couldn’t have taken out that facility without your help.”

“Anytime, ma’am,” Warthog said, still grinning. “Always happy to step in, especially for you.”

“Well, I appreciate it.”

“So do Skywalker and Kenobi,” Rex said, looking around. “And me.”

“The One-Oh-Fourth frequently gets assigned rescue missions,” Boost said. “We’re pretty good at them by now.”

“Come on, Boost,” Sinker said, raising an eyebrow and elbowing his arm, “let’s not brag, now.”

“It’s not my fault we’re good at what we do.”

“You guys saved a lot of lives today,” Ahsoka said, looking around. “A lot of my people. I guess . . . I dunno. I think I owe you all one. For them and for saving old Rex here.” She pushed him lightly. “I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

“Frankly, ma’am, neither do we,” remarked Wildfire, smirking.

“Really, Commander, there’s no need to owe us anything,” Wolffe told her, shooting Wildfire a stern look. “You’re family to the General, so you’re family to us. And we always look out for our own.”

Rex felt Ahsoka’s mood skyrocket through the Force. She smiled warmly, leaning into him a bit more.

"Thanks, Wolffe. I'm glad you feel that way."

“Anytime, ma’am,” Wolffe said, waving her off. “In any case, I think we’ll get back to it.” He stood and motioned for the other members of the Wolf Pack to follow his lead. “I’m sure you two have some catching up to get to.”

The other clones bid them farewell and then filed out of the mess hall, leaving Rex and Ahsoka alone. For the moment.

“Well,” Ahsoka said, sitting down next to Rex. “That was . . . kinda strange. And a bit abrupt. I didn’t do something wrong, did I?” She looked worried.

Rex shook his head. “Nah, don’t worry about it,” he said. “It’s nothing . . . I’m sure they have other things they need to be doing. We were wasting time in here for a while before you came around.”

“If you say so . . .” Ahsoka said, though she still looked unsure.

They were quiet for a moment.

“So . . .” Rex said, breaking the silence. “How’d the mission go for you? After the whole arena fiasco, I mean.”

“Well, not great,” Ahsoka said. “I tried to pull my lightsaber on the Queen and didn’t realize she had the controls for my shock collar in her chair, so that ended our escape plan pretty quickly.”

“That explains why they didn’t back off,” Rex said.

“Yeah,” Ahsoka said. “After that, I woke up in a cage just hanging over the palace walls. I tried to just meditate for a while, but that creep Molec interrupted me. Basically told me that once the Queen got Anakin under control, he’d take me on as his personal slave.”

Rex scowled. “ _Skanah_ ,” he hissed. He didn’t want to think about what exactly that would entail. He was just glad it never came to that. “And he’s not dead, is he?”

“Nope,” Ahsoka said. “According to Anakin, Dooku killed Queen Miraj so that Molec would take over because he was more loyal. Far as I know, he’s still in charge back on Zygerria.”

If it were up to Rex, they’d turn around, head back there, pulverize whatever was left of the slaver empire, and bombard the planet with enough plasma to turn its surface to glass. But it wasn’t up to him. At least they’d freed the Togrutas. And it sounded like they’d also shaken both the chain of command and Dooku’s trust in the empire. It would likely take them a while to get themselves in working order once more.

He sighed. “Well,” he said, “at least you’re alright. I was worried about you.”

Ahsoka gave a small smile. “Yeah. It was a little scary, though. I guess a part of me was a little worried that maybe we actually would fail. And my people would be trapped as slaves or killed and I wouldn’t be much better off.” She frowned, glancing away.

Rex reached over and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “This one was . . . it was a close one,” he admitted. “But we still did it.”

She nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, we did. Anyway, what happened to you?”

“Kenobi and I got shipped off to that Kadavo facility with the Governor pretty much right after the arena,” Rex explained. “All the other Togrutas were already there as far as I could tell. We were all forced into labor. Any time Kenobi would step out of line or not do what the guards wanted, they’d take it out on the other prisoners. On the orders of some Zygerrian called Agruss.”

Ahsoka balked. “That’s horrible!”

Rex shrugged. “They wanted to see if they could break the Jedi,” he said. “I don’t know how close they got, but they tried pretty damn hard. When you and Skywalker showed up, Kenobi and I had been taken to the command center. They were gonna execute us for Dooku, but you provided a pretty good distraction for us.”

“Sounds like our timing was perfect as usual,” Ahsoka smirked. “How’d you fight your way out of that one?”

“Kenobi pulled some Jedi tricks and got us out of our collars, and then we fought our way through a bunch of guards,” Rex explained. “Agruss destroyed the controls, so we couldn’t stop him from trying to kill the slaves. The General managed to get his lightsaber from him, but he couldn’t kill him because he didn’t have any weapons. So, er . . . I threw and electrostaff into his gut.” He wasn’t sure why saying that out loud to Ahsoka made him uncomfortable, but it did.

She frowned. “Oh.” She removed her hand from his arm.

Rex’s hurt must’ve shown on his face – or maybe she just felt it – because she flinched.

“Sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “That was a bit of a knee-jerk. I didn’t mean anything.”

Rex looked down at his hands. “No, it’s fine. Jedi thing, right?”

“Yeah . . .” she frowned. “It’s just . . . it’s all confusing. War, I guess. I mean, as a Jedi, there’s no way I would’ve been able to kill him. I just . . . wouldn’t feel right about it. But if you didn’t kill him, he might’ve done something more to hurt the slaves or stop us from rescuing them. And then whatever happened to them would’ve been my fault. You see what I mean?” She looked at him imploringly, begging him to understand.

He gave it a shot.

“Er . . . sort of?” he tried. “I get all that about not forsaking your values during war, but we’re always gonna come to hard choices with no right answers on the battlefield. I did what I thought would save the most lives. I . . . I would do it again, too. I think it was the right call. Even if I didn’t, he would’ve died when the facility was destroyed. I just didn’t want to take the chance that he’d do something to stop us from saving the Togrutas.”

That was all true, but Rex hadn’t exactly thought that all the way through when he’d made the decision to kill Agruss. He’d been angry. He wanted payback for all the pain and humiliation that he and Kenobi and the other prisoners had been put through. He wanted to make sure that no one would be put through hell under Agruss’ watch ever again.

“I know, I know,” Ahsoka said, nodding but still looking troubled. “It makes sense. It’s just . . . complicated.”

Rex chuckled darkly. “Welcome to life, littl’un. It’s _all_ complicated.”

Ahsoka snorted. “Ah, shut up,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Just because it’s complicated doesn’t mean it’s impossible to make sense of.”

“I guess,” Rex shrugged. “But it’s not really my place to figure all that out. I’m a clone. I just drink caf, shoot droids, and hope I live to see tomorrow. All that philosophy stuff is more up your alley than mine.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Rex,” Ahsoka told him, with an air of ‘I’m-imparting-great-Jedi-wisdom-so-listen-up.’ “Just because you were never taught how to think about certain issues doesn’t mean you don’t have the capacity to think about them and come to a decision on your own.”

Rex thought for a moment.

She had a point.

Wasn’t that what he was trying to do in the first place? He was supposed to be breaking out of the ‘just a soldier’ mindset.

Apparently, he still had some work to do on himself.

“Yeah,” he said. “I . . . guess you’re right.”

Ahsoka grinned, showing her predator teeth. “Aren’t I always?”

“Well –”

“Don’t answer that,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Anyway, I’m glad that whole mission is over with.”

“Me too,” Rex agreed. “And I’m glad you’re alright.”

“You too, Rexter,” Ahsoka said. She clapped a hand on his shoulder and stood. “Anyway, I’d better get going. I’m sure I need to file a report or something.”

“Mm. I probably do too.” It’d be a long, complicated one too.

At least it wasn’t Umbara.

“Well, why don’t we do it together, then?” Ahsoka offered. “It’ll probably go faster that way.”

It was an excuse to hang around Ahsoka more. Of course he’d take it.

“Sounds good to me,” he said. And followed her out of the mess hall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Bourne Identity - The Last Shadow Puppets
> 
> Skanah - very hated person. An extremely dirty word.
> 
> Here's a long-awaited reunion and an awkward conversation  
> (A Friend in Need is next. Wink wink)


	55. Prey

**Throne room of the royal palace, Mandalore**

Ahsoka stood just behind Padmé’s chair and watched the tense proceedings.

Once again, a peace meeting between the Republic and the Separatists was being attempted. Three Republic senators – Padmé, Bail Organa, and Mon Mothma – and three Separatist senators – a Sinteen named Bec Lawise, a woman named Voe Atell of a species Ahsoka didn’t recognize, and a Gossam whose name she hadn’t caught – were currently discussing the possibility of de-escalating the war.

This was underscored by the fact that a squad of Senate Commandos stood behind the Republic senators while several commando droids kept watch behind the Separatists.

Personally, Ahsoka thought that conflict would erupt at any moment. It really irked her that she had to leave her lightsabers on the ship, but Mandalore had rules. She knew that well enough from her last trip.

At the head of the room, Duchess Satine presided over the whole affair, attempting – mostly in vain – to keep things remotely civil.

“The Republic recognizes the tragedy of war,” Padmé said, “but there is nothing we can change that has already occurred.”

“Say it aloud before this entire gathering,” said Voe Atell, her violet eyes narrowed, “as representative of Chancellor Palpatine, that you declare, without reservation, the Separatist state legitimate.”

Silence fell.

Padmé glanced away.

How had Ahsoka even been roped into this? It all seemed so pointless if neither side was going to concede to the other.

There was really only one answer: Anakin.

For some reason – known only to Ahsoka – he’d insisted that someone be around to keep an eye on Padmé during the peace talks. Just in case something went wrong, he’d said. The reality was that he wanted someone to keep her safe. Because they were in love. Anakin himself couldn’t attend, as he was currently busy with some Jedi business involving a massive offensive on the Republic’s part that the GAR was proposing. A bit ironic, given the current peace talks. In any case, Ahsoka and R2-D2 had ended up going in Anakin’s stead. Rex had also come along, but he was waiting on the ship, given that clones weren’t exactly known for handling peace situations.

“I have something to say,” called a voice from the far end of the throne room, “about the legitimacy of the Separatists.”

Everyone’s head turned toward the entrance.

Ahsoka’s mouth fell open and her heart skipped a beat when she saw that none other than Lux Bonteri stood there, flanked by a pair of Mandalorian royal guards. He looked a lot different from when Ahsoka had met him a few months prior. Older. More serious. The death of one’s mother would surely do that to a person.

But what was he doing here?

Evidently, she was not the only one to think that, as the senators on the Separatist side started muttering as he was led across the room toward them, shocked at his sudden appearance.

Ahsoka leaned down toward Padmé. “You didn’t mention that Lux Bonteri would be here,” she whispered.

“I . . . didn’t know,” Padmé said, sounding just as confused as the Separatists.

Lux strode between the two sides, his head held high, not looking at anyone. He stood before the Duchess and gave a short, respectful bow. He looked up at Satine, waiting. She seemed to consider him for a moment, then gave a small nod, allowing the boy to speak.

Lux turned and addressed everyone, standing behind one of two podiums that had been placed before the senators. “I stand before you,” he said, “the son of Mina Bonteri, loyal Separatist, a patriot, a friend.”

He glanced over at Ahsoka, and their eyes met. He smiled at her, and she, starting to blush, smiled back.

Then he returned to addressing the room. “It has come to my attention that my mother was murdered by Count Dooku in cold blood!” All the warmth had vanished from his face, and now there was only fury. And conviction.

“That is a lie!” insisted Bec Lawise, shooting to his feet. “Remove this traitor immediately.”

Without thinking, Ahsoka took a step forward to intervene, but Padmé instantly put a hand in front of her waist, stopping her. Two of the commando droids marched forward and grabbed Lux by the upper arms, pulling him away from the podium.

“I will not be silenced!” he insisted, fighting against them.

“Stop this!” ordered Duchess Satine, rising.

Voe Atell stood as well. “We would ask you to respect that we deal with this matter ourselves,” she said.

“No!” shouted Lux as he was led roughly away by the droids. “Dooku is deceiving you! You will all be betrayed, just like my mother!”

The commando droids pushed Lux through a door on the opposite side of the room and it slid shut behind them, blocking out whatever he said next.

“I apologize for such a rude interruption,” said Bec Lawise. “Please let us continue.” He sat back down.

Ahsoka leaned in toward Padmé once more. “We can’t just let them take him,” she hissed. “He’ll be killed!”

Padmé frowned for a moment, then made up her mind. “Do what you can, Ahsoka,” she allowed. “But be discreet.”

Ahsoka nodded, then slipped away. Her hands balled into fists, she walked quickly out of the throne room, following the same path that the commando droids had taken. If anyone noticed, they didn’t say anything. Hopefully, Padmé could come up with a convincing excuse as to her sudden absence.

She couldn’t just let those droids kill Lux.

* * *

Rex sat on the floor of their ship; a GX1 short hauler called the _Phoenix_. his DC-15 carbine was disassembled before him and he was in the midst of cleaning the weapon. Just as he had been for some time now.

He couldn’t help but feel as if this whole trip was a giant waste of time.

He was dead sure that the Republic and the CIS weren’t going to drop their weapons and sign a peace agreement anytime soon, meetings or no meetings. What Amidala, Organa, and Mothma thought they could accomplish with a sham like this was beyond his understanding, not that he wasn’t trying.

Rex sighed, holding up the barrel of his carbine and greasing it with a rag. He held it up to one of the lights in the ceiling, closing one eye so he could stare down the muzzle.

“Hey,” Rex said, holding out one hand, “could you hand me the –”

But R2-D2 had already bleeped in the affirmative, reaching out one of his extendable arms and holding out a thin brush.

“Huh. Thanks, little guy.”

Rex accepted the brush from the droid and set about scraping around the inside of the barrel, clearing away any grime that had accumulated there since its last scouring.

Suddenly, R2 let out a surprised beep and spun himself around. Extending his rolling leg, he took off at breakneck speed toward the ship’s bridge. Rex watched on, confused. This was Mandalore. What could possibly have him in such a state all of the sudden? It was as though he’d just received some kind of distress call.

But what if he had?

Rex stood and scooped up his helmet, placing it on his head as he followed R2 into the cockpit.

“Hey,” he said, trying to get the astromech’s attention. “Hey! What’s going on? What’s the rush?”

R2 let out a flurry of agitated-sounding bleeps, but Rex wasn’t exactly fluent in binary. He rolled around the cockpit, pressing buttons and starting the engines.

Rex had the sinking feeling he was about to be dragged into some spur of the moment ‘adventure’ again.

At that moment, he heard blaster fire erupt from the landing platform outside.

_The hell? No one has weapons on Mandalore!_

He bolted from the cockpit and went for the boarding ramp, drawing one of his DC-17s and priming it, ready to defend the ship against intruders if need be. He reached it just in time to see the Senate Commando guards locked in a firefight with several commando droids that had appeared across the platform. Before Rex could step out of the ship and assist them, Ahsoka darted up the ramp alongside a well-dressed boy that he didn’t recognize.

“Commander?” Rex asked as Ahsoka slammed her fist into the ‘close’ button beside the ramp. The _Phoenix_ shuddered slightly as he felt the thrusters engage, signaling their liftoff. “What the hell’s going on? Who’s that? Why are we taking off?”

“I’ll explain later! Come on!”

She and the boy ran up toward the cockpit. Rex followed close behind, slipping his pistol back into its holster. They entered the bridge after Ahsoka had taken a moment to grab her lightsabers from the storage room. R2-D2 set the ship to autopilot and rolled out of the room, off to apparently take care of something else. Ahsoka and the boy sat in two of the rear seats in the bridge. Rex chose to stand.

Almost immediately after they exited Mandalore’s atmosphere, a hologram appeared beside Ahsoka. It was General Skywalker.

“Ahsoka,” he said, his arms folded, “Padmé just contacted me. She told me the peace negotiations have all but collapsed. Where are you?”

_The negotiations collapsed? And we’re not with Senator Amidala?_

_Oh, we’re screwed._

“I’m en route to Coruscant, Master,” Ahsoka said, meeting Skywalker’s gaze. “I have Lux Bonteri with me.” She gestured to the boy.

Rex glanced at him. So _this_ was the Lux Bonteri he’d heard so much about. Dark hair, blue eyes, average build, pale. Rex couldn’t exactly form any snap-judgments. Then again, it sounded as though he’d just caused the collapse of the negotiations.

“Master Jedi,” Lux cut in leaning into the frame, “I’m sorry if I’ve caused you any trouble.”

“It’s nothing,” Ahsoka insisted. “You will be safe now with the Republic.”

Rex saw Skywalker’s eyes dart between Ahsoka and Lux, one eyebrow slightly raised. He wasn’t the only one seeing things, then. And Skywalker would know better than any of them.

Shit.

“Alright,” the General said, shrugging, “bring Bonteri to Coruscant immediately, and we’ll discuss giving him amnesty.”

“Yes, Master,” Ahsoka nodded. She reached forward and shut off the hologram before rising from her seat and stepping forward to adjust their trajectory, probably preparing for the jump to hyperspace.

Without warning, Bonteri rose out of his seat. “I can’t go with you, Ahsoka,” he said.

Rex saw the small, compact blaster in his hand.

_Woah_.

In the blink of an eye, he’d pulled one of his pistols and leveled it at the boy’s head; so close that the muzzle brushed his scalp. He was not making a great first impression.

Shock and irritation flashed in Ahsoka’s eyes. “Wh-What?” she demanded.

“Put the gun down, kid,” Rex ordered.

“Hey, can everybody just calm down?” Ahsoka shouted, holding up her hands. “Rex, lower your blaster.”

“But –”

“Please?”

He couldn’t really say no to that. Grumbling, Rex lowered his pistol but didn’t holster it. He already didn’t trust this Lux Bonteri kid.

At least he lowered his gun too. “I told you,” he said, not looking at Rex, “I have a plan.”

Ahsoka took the opportunity to reach forward and snatch the blaster from Bonteri’s hand. Switching it around, she held it up towards him. Still, Rex didn’t see any intent in her eyes. She wouldn’t fire, even if he gave her a reason to. “Shooting me is _not_ gonna be part of it,” she said. She aimed the weapon away from him. “What are you doing with a gun, anyhow? You’re not a fighter.”

Bonteri turned toward the viewport. “I’m no longer a Separatist, either,” he said, shaking his head. “I won’t join the Republic.”

“What other options do you have?” Ahsoka asked, looking confused.

“There is a different way.”

“I understand everything that you’ve been through,” Ahsoka said, dropping the blaster on the seat she’d vacated. “I understand you feel alone. But the Republic _will_ help you.”

Lux rounded on her. “Like they helped my mother?” he demanded. “Like they helped my father?” he shot Rex a dirty look.

_Well, what’s that about?_

All Rex knew about Bonteri was that his mother had been killed – apparently by the Separatists – after she’d tried to petition for peace. What did his father have to do with this? Maybe he should look into that. If he decided to care.

Ahsoka fell silent. Apparently, he’d made some kind of point.

“I’ve already made contact with a group on Carlac who are noble and are allied with my cause,” Bonteri said.

“And what cause is that?” Ahsoka asked, raising a brow.

“To kill Dooku,” the boy said through clenched teeth.

Ahsoka looked shocked. Rex snorted.

A noble cause if ever there was one. Still, how could some random sixteen-year-old hope to stand against an evil Sith lord with an army at his back? Rex was several years younger than him and apparently still had much more common sense.

“The only one you’re going to get killed is yourself,” Ahsoka said, stepping closer to him. “I’m sorry, but I’m taking you to Coruscant.” She sat in the pilot’s seat. “Your plan hasn’t exactly been well-thought-out, Lux. Without me, how did you think you were going to escape those droids?”

“Like this.”

In a flash, Bonteri produced a small, handheld stunner. He held it to Ahsoka’s shoulder, and she tensed suddenly, then went limp.

“Hey!” Rex said. He was so caught off-guard that he hadn’t even raised his pistol. He didn’t think the kid had it in him.

He was wrong.

Rex stepped forward, grabbing for him, but Bonteri turned the stunner on him next. He felt the sudden jolt to his nervous system as the electricity surged through him.

He just got outplayed by a kid. Fives would never let him live it down if he ever found out.

Rex blacked out.

* * *

Ahsoka awoke sometime later.

Groggily, she rubbed at her forehead as her eyes reluctantly slid open. She was slumped in one of the passenger seats aboard the _Phoenix._ How had she gotten there again? Her entire body felt fuzzy. Like a comm signal with too much interference.

“Lux?” she asked. He was the last thing she remembered. “Lux.” She stood, glancing around the bridge. It was empty, save for R2-D2, who stood beside her, watching. Something was off . . . Her hands went to her belt. “Where are my lightsabers?”

_Stang._

That when she realized they were no longer in space. Nor were they on Coruscant, like they were supposed to be. Peering out of the main viewport, she saw that their ship was landed in the middle of a snowy, quiet forest. The trees were covered with snow and leaves ranging from red to pink, standing out magnificently from their white surroundings.

In front of the ship, she saw a figure with his back turned toward her, staring out into the wilderness.

“Lux!” she hissed. He’d stunned her. She remembered that now. What the hell was he playing at? This was certainly a shitty way of saying ‘thanks for saving my dumb hide.’

Where were they? Where were her lightsabers? Where was Rex?

_Oh, shit. Rex!_

She’d almost forgotten about him.

In any case, she wasn’t going to find the answers to any of her questions by just sitting still.

She turned to R2-D2. “Artoo,” she ordered, “take a look around and see if you can find where Lux hid them.” She meant her lightsabers. He probably knew that. “I’m going to have a chat with Mr. Bonteri.”

The loyal astromech chirped an affirmative and extended one of his scanning probes.

Ahsoka exited the cockpit. If she was going out there, she’d have to find something warm to wear. There was a lot of snow on the ground, and Togrutas didn’t exactly get along with cold climates. Plus, there was still the mystery of where Rex was. He didn’t seem to be outside, and she doubted that Lux Bonteri would be able to drag someone as big and heavy as the clone captain very far.

It turned out she was right.

Rex was slumped just outside of the bridge; unceremoniously propped against the wall beside the door. He was still out cold, and Ahsoka took a moment to kneel beside him, pressing two of her fingers against his neck and feeling for a pulse.

She knew thanks to their Bond that he was alive, but she wanted to make sure that his heart rate was steady.

Thankfully, it was.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Ahsoka straightened, then turned and walked into one of the side rooms. This was Padmé’s ship – or at least one she was using – which meant she’d packed a whole wardrobe of clothes. She’d also insisted that Ahsoka pack a few extra things ‘just in case.’ After rooting around for a minute or two, she came up with a large, thick coat that was almost like a dress. It was brown, with lots of white fur around the arms, trim, and hood. There were also two white, fluffy pom-poms on the ends of the hood that covered her montrals, which Ahsoka quite liked.

But that wasn’t exactly important at the moment.

She slipped the coat on over her Jedi outfit and exited the ship. Circling it, she stomped through the snow, making her way toward Lux, who was wearing gloves and a beanie in addition to a warm jacket. Boy, he was about to get a piece of her mind.

“Lux!” she called. “Lux, where are we and what did you do with my lightsabers?”

He glanced back at her. “You should’ve stayed on the ship.”

At that moment, Ahsoka heard the flare of a jetpack, and suddenly a man clad in dark Mandalorian armor landed before Lux. Instinctively, Ahsoka stepped protectively in front of Lux, shielding him. She wasn’t exactly sure what she’d do without her lightsabers, but she’d fight if she had to.

Her mood didn’t improve when one, two, three, four, five, six more Mandalorians landed in a circle around them.

“Hey, kid,” said the final one to appear, notably the only woman among the group, “you’re late.”

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes. Now that she got a good look at the armor, she recognized the symbols.

“Death Watch,” she muttered.

This was bad.

The woman marched up to Lux. “You get us what we need?” she asked.

Lux met her helmeted gaze. “Yes,” he nodded, “and I have the information with me.”

The Death Watch woman placed one hand on her hip. She glanced at Ahsoka.

“Who’s this?”

Ahsoka’s mind raced. She couldn’t exactly say ‘Jedi’ when she had no way to defend herself. She had to come up with something quick.

“I’m his . . .” _Shit_. “I’m . . . his . . . betrothed.”

Ahsoka cringed internally but still clutched Lux’s arm, pulling herself into his side. She hoped none of the Death Watch members noticed the look of surprise that flashed across Lux’s face.

Oh, Force. Of all the things she could’ve come up with, why did it have to be that? And why had that been the first thing to cross her mind? Could things get _any_ more awkward?

“Uh, right,” Lux said, nodding. “Right.”

“Betrothed?” asked the woman, sounding as though she’d raised an eyebrow under her helmet. She stepped forward and reached out. She gripped Ahsoka’s jaw with one hand, turning her head slightly as though examining merchandise of some kind. Ahsoka was uncomfortably reminded of her recent stint as a slave girl. “Little skinny, isn’t she?”

With that, the woman crossed behind her, raised a hand, and gave Ahsoka a sudden, sharp smack on the rear.

Ahsoka’s eyes widen with shock at the sudden unwelcome strike and she let out a rather undignified yelp, jumping forward slightly before whirling around and raising her fists, ready to start a fight. Her faced burned with humiliation and she wanted to take that out on someone as soon as possible.

Lux stepped between the two, raising his hands.

“She . . . serves her purpose,” he said, diplomatically.

_Serves her purpose?_

_Gee, thanks._

From behind Lux, Ahsoka saw R2-D2 rolling over the snow toward them, whistling and holding out both of her lightsabers. If the Death Watch members saw them right now, they’d be in real trouble.

She shook her head discreetly, and the astromech quickly retracted the weapons into his chassis, hiding them from view.

Just in time, too, as the Mandalorians turned toward the droid upon hearing his bleeping.

“We leave now,” the woman ordered, brushing past Ahsoka as she walked off. “The snow is coming.”

“What have you gotten us into?” Ahsoka hissed, pulling Lux close to her as the other Mandalorians started to follow the woman.

“It’s all under control,” Lux told her, his voice low.

More Death Watch members had shown up, riding an X-34 landspeeder and a pair of _Balutar_ -class swoop bikes.

“These are the Death Watch,” Ahsoka said. “They’re Mandalorian terrorists. They’ll kill us both!”

“You comin?” asked one of them, eyeing Lux and Ahsoka.

“Yes,” Lux said, stepping forward.

“Uh . . . I should stay with the ship,” Ahsoka said, turning to head back.

“No,” said the man. “You’re coming too.”

Lux stepped up into the landspeeder and two Death Watch members grabbed R2-D2 around his sides, lifting him up off the ground and placing him on the back of the vehicle. Ahsoka had little choice but to follow; sitting on the back of one of the swoop bikes

They were definitely in over their heads.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prey - The Neighbourhood
> 
> Just wanna remind you all that we were robbed of a Rex and R2-D2 buddy cop arc because the Clone Wars got canceled.
> 
> I expect emotions'll be running real high in the comments section during this arc lol


	56. Standing Next to Me

**Bridge of the _Phoenix_ , Carlac**

Rubbing at his clouded head, Rex stumbled into the cockpit, trying to remember exactly what the hell was going on. Glancing around, he didn’t see anyone. No Ahsoka, No R2-D2, no Lux Bonteri.

_Bonteri._

He’d stunned Ahsoka _and_ Rex. And he’d apparently piloted their ship to some other planet, judging by the snow-covered forest that he could see out of the main viewport. And now that he was looking outside . . .

He saw Bonteri, Ahsoka, and R2-D2 surrounded by a team of Death Watch members.

Rex instinctively ducked behind the console, hoping no one had glanced back at the ship and seen him moving inside of it. “What the hell?” he muttered through clenched teeth. Death Watch? What were they doing here? What was going on?

He’d never actually gone toe-to-toe with Death Watch before, but from the reports he’d read, they were ferocious, devoted, skilled, and brutal. Well, Rex could be all of those things too. But he was still just one man. Who knew how many of them there were? Rex’s hand went to his holster, where he was relieved to find his pistols still stowed. He had a chance. Not necessarily a great one, considering he’d have to fight his way through a team of zealous Mandalorian warriors, but a chance nonetheless. But they also had Ahsoka and R2.

He wasn’t too worried about Bonteri. As far as Rex was concerned, he’d clearly gotten them all into this mess. He wasn’t going to go out of his way to stick his neck out for the kid.

Maybe he was just jealous.

_Shut up._

Shaking his head, Rex peaked up over the main console. Death Watch was in the midst of forcing Ahsoka, Bonteri, and R2 onto speeders that had only just appeared from out of the trees. There was no way he was going to be able to get to them before they took off, even if he got up and sprinted out there at that very moment.

In seconds, they’d all disappeared, leaving Rex alone on the ship.

Slowly, he stood, leaning over the console and looking out into the snow. What were his options?

Calling for help and waiting on backup wasn’t one of them. For one, he wasn’t sure where they were. For another, Death Watch had Ahsoka. He couldn’t just sit around and twiddle his thumbs while that was the case.

He was going to have to go after them himself and mount a rescue.

Closing his eyes, Rex focused on his Force Bond with Ahsoka. After all this time, slipping into the connection that the two of them had was easy. Familiar. Comforting. And, luckily, a reliable way of tracking her down. Off in the distance, he could feel Ahsoka’s fiery presence reseeding further and further away from him. But the connection didn’t break. As long as they didn’t go off-planet, Rex would surely be able to follow them to wherever Death Watch was camped out.

He stood and turned to leave the bridge.

He had some hiking to do.

* * *

Death Watch’s camp wasn’t exactly a sight to behold.

Ahsoka glanced around as the swoop bike she sat on the back of slowed and settled upon the snowy ground. There was a perimeter set up in a circle around the camp that was made of twisted durasteel. Several huts lined the interior, made of the same material combined with several different types of cloth. Speeders were parked everywhere, along with a pair of _Kom’rk_ -class starships. Off to one side, several Death Watch members were amusing themselves by shooting at what appeared to be reprogrammed droids of various makes and models, all cobbled together and defenseless.

Not exactly tasteful.

Ahsoka slid off the back of the bike and stepped forward as Lux did the same and R2 was lifted off of the back of the landspeeder.

“The boss will see you in there,” said the female Mandalorian, gesturing to a hut just a meter or two ahead.

Ahsoka shot Lux an annoyed look that he seemed to pointedly ignore. What the hell had he gotten them both into?

With little choice, the two of them stepped forward, bushing aside the sheet that hung over the entrance to the hut. The interior was dimly-lit and mostly barren, aside from a few crates stacked here and there and a table on the far side.

“Don’t ruin my plan, okay?” Lux said in a hushed voice, stepping forward.

Ahsoka’s mouth fell open. “Plan?” she hissed, following him. “What plan?”

Lux spun around, holding up his right arm. Around his wrist, she noticed a small bracelet flashing with green lights. “This is a holo-trace device,” he said. “It can identify the origin of any holo transmission. I knew if I accused Dooku of murder, I would be brought to face him. Well, it worked, and I now know Dooku’s exact location. If Death Watch moves quick enough, we can destroy him. Is that enough of a plan for you?” Lux grinned, placing his hands on Ahsoka’s shoulders.

Well, he’d certainly thought this out better than she’d first assumed, but it was still leading him down a dangerous, self-destructive path. Not to mention the fact that he was working with Death Watch of all organizations.

“This is not some idealistic political group,” Ahsoka insisted, brushing his hands away. “They will take the information and kill you!”

Lux grimaced, backing away. “I knew you wouldn’t understand,” he said, shaking his head.

“The Death Watch are _murderers_ ,” Ahsoka said, really trying to spell it out for him this time, “sworn to destroy Jedi. You don’t know what you’re doing. This –”

Lux’s eyes darted behind her for a fraction of a second and widened. Then, without warning, he grabbed her shoulders once more. This time, however, he drew her in close, his face swooping down close to hers.

Their lips met.

Ahsoka’s head and heart both burst open at once. Lux was kissing her. Lux was _kissing her_. At that moment, Ahsoka didn’t particularly care that she was a Jedi and he was . . . well, whatever he was. He said he wasn’t a separatist anymore, and he also wasn’t a senator. All she could really focus on was how tightly Lux was holding her to him, and how his lips felt against hers.

She would’ve been alright staying like that for some time, but –

She heard footsteps and the flap of the tent slide open. Her eyes darted open, glancing backward. In her peripheral vision, she saw a trio of figures step into the tent.

Panicking, she pushed away from Lux, unable to look at him or whoever had entered the tent. Her heart was racing, and she felt her entire head burning from how hard she was blushing.

“Am I . . . interrupting something?” asked a low voice.

“N-no, of course not,” said Lux, somewhat regaining his composure. “We were just, um . . .”

What they were supposed to have been doing, Ahsoka would never find out.

The lead Mandalorian, whose helmet had a pair of antennae and rangefinders attached and bore a strange, claw-like symbol just above the visor, shrugged. “It’s time to talk business,” he said, stepping forward.

He reached up and removed the helmet, revealing a face that, before now, Ahsoka had only seen in hologram images.

Pre Vizla.

He looked a bit thinner now and had a completely shaved head. There was a scar under his left eye that stood out, and he looked much gaunter than he had when he was the ruler of Concord. But it was certainly him.

He narrowed his eyes and glanced over at Ahsoka. “Tell your woman to leave us,” he ordered.

Lux hesitated for a split second, then seemed to think better of it. “Of course,” he nodded.

One of the other Mandalorians that had entered the tent – the woman from earlier – grabbed Ahsoka by the arm and lead her out of the tent and into the snow outside. As much as she wanted to stick around and hear exactly what was supposed to be going on here, she couldn’t. She didn’t have her lightsabers, and she was pretending not to be a Jedi, so there was no way she could put up any kind of fight.

She hated waiting.

Then again, she wasn’t sure if she was really focused enough for any kind of fight. Her mind still lingered on the kiss Lux and her had shared. She knew he’d done it to shut her up; stop her from blathering on about Jedi and Death Watch with Pre Vizla coming up behind her. But was that the only reason? She couldn’t pretend that she didn’t – every now and then – think about Lux.

He was a cute guy. Sensitive. He seemed genuinely nice most of the time; and when he wasn’t, he seemed focused on avenging his mother, which was understandable. There was plenty to like. Still, she was a _Jedi_. This type of thing wasn’t allowed.

_Yeah? Tell that to Anakin._

Well . . . yeah. There was that.

But there was also this whole tracking down Dooku and working with Death Watch thing. Lux clearly didn’t know as much about Death Watch as she did. The Republic and the Mandalorian government were both trying to keep a lid on them as much as possible in order to minimize the impact that they had and the support they could gather. It sort of made sense: the fewer people that knew about them and the impact of their actions, the fewer people could be galvanized into joining them.

The problem was that they could present themselves as something they weren’t and gain the trust of someone as impressionable and focused on revenge as Lux.

Ahsoka was snapped out of her internal dialogue as she was shoved roughly through the flap of another tent. Caught off-guard, she tripped over her own feet and fell flat on the ground, grunting in pain as her body slammed against the hard, cold interior of the tent.

The female Mandalorian chuckled.

Anger replaced pain. “Try that again,” she said, pushing herself to her feet and whirling around to face the woman as she turned away, “and I will –”

“Shh!”

The unfamiliar voice brought her up short. Someone grabbed her arm, preventing her from chasing after the Mandalorian. As she disappeared, Ahsoka glanced around to see who had stopped her from starting a fight.

It was a girl, perhaps a little younger than herself. She seemed to be human, but had deep purple tattoos in diamond patterns all over her face, not dissimilar to those Barriss had. A complicated gold headdress that kept her short, dark brown hair pulled back sat upon her head, and she wore simple robes colored brown and yellow.

“You don’t want to make them angry!” The girl hissed, pulling Ahsoka closer. “They are far from rational.”

Now that she had the opportunity to look around properly, she saw that several other girls and women sat inside the tent, all dressed similarly to the first one. That was strange. What were they doing here? Judging by their reaction, they certainly didn’t seem to like Death Watch. Prisoners, perhaps. But from where?

Ahsoka gave a small chuckle. “Believe me,” she said, placing a hand on the girl’s shoulder, “you have no idea.” She walked over to a nearby crate and sat down on it. All the girls mimicked her. “What’s your name?”

“Tryla,” answered the girl who had grabbed her, sitting down next to Ahsoka.

“I’m Ahsoka,” she replied. She ought to try and figure out what was going on here. “Where’re you from?”

Tryla frowned. “We were kidnapped from a nearby town,” she said. “We are a simple people. We trust easily. And we were betrayed.”

Locals, then. At least Death Watch wasn’t sizable enough to smuggle kidnapped beings from multiple planets. Her thoughts wandered back to Zygerria and she shivered. The fewer slavers in the galaxy, the better.

The flap of the tent fluttered and in stepped a Death Watch member. “We feast,” he said, looking around at the girls. “Prepare the food. Your _masters_ are hungry.”

And he was gone. Just like that.

Ahsoka gritted her teeth. Hadn’t she only just stopped pretending to be a slave? And yet here she was again. Hopefully, Rex was doing better than –

_Oh, fuck!_

_Rex!_

How had she totally forgotten about him?

Hot guilt coursed through Ahsoka. She’d been so preoccupied with Lux and the Death Watch that she’d forgotten that Rex was still in the ship and – as far as she knew – unconscious. He had to be awake right now, though, right? It’d been a couple of hours since they’d left the ship behind.

What was he doing? Was he alright?

_You idiot; you have a Force Bond! You can find out!_

Mentally kicking herself, Ahsoka took and second and just focused. Reaching out, she searched for Rex’s Force-signature. To her surprise, he was closer than she thought he’d be. He was focused, determined, and a bit cold. Apparently, he’d followed them and was near the camp. He must’ve followed her own signature.

She could only hope he didn’t try to mount a rescue attempt all on his own; there were too many Mandalorians even for him. If she could just get her hands on her lightsabers again . . .

But Rex was smart. He would make a move when he felt it would be most effective. She just had to trust him.

* * *

Not much later, Ahsoka found herself holding a serving tray and taking food and drinks from table to table in the largest tent that Death Watch had set up. Tables were placed all around, and helmetless Mandalorians sat with their feet up; eating, drinking, and laughing.

She wandered over to Lux, who sat beside Pre Vizla alone on the far side of the tent, watching everyone else.

“Hungry?” she asked, putting on her most sickly-sweet smile. As Lux reached for one of the bowls she carried, she lowered her voice. “Careful not to _choke_ on your _stupidity_.”

He shot her a look, but she shot him one right back.

She backed off but stayed near enough so that she could eavesdrop.

“I see your woman has fit in well,” remarked Pre Vizla, placing a hand on Lux’s shoulder. Ahsoka seethed privately. “Now how will _you_ fit in?”

“All I want is Dooku dead,” Lux said, his voice firm.

Vizla frowned and looked as though he were about to say something, but a voice from the front of the tent interrupted him.

“Vizla!”

Everyone’s eyes turned toward the front of the tent. Three older men dressed in a similar fashion to the girls Ahsoka had met walked into the tent, looking furious.

“Chieftan Pieter,” said Vizla, standing. “I don’t remember summoning you.”

“You have taken our women, stolen our food, and threatened us for too long,” said the man in the lead; Chieftan Pieter.

“It’s brave for you to come here with such bold words,” said Vizla, not raising his voice. Ahsoka had expected him to flare up, but he kept completely calm.

“You are no longer welcome here!” shouted the Chieftan, pointing a finger at him.

“Well, if our presence here isn’t welcome,” Vizla said, “we’ll make ready to leave.” He glanced around at the Mandalorians seated around the room.

Everyone shot the Chieftan and the two other men dirty looks. There were a few muffled chuckles.

“And . . . you’ll return our people to us?” asked Chieftan Pieter, clearly taken aback by Vizla’s cooperation.

“Yes,” he said. “Sunrise tomorrow. You have my word.”

“Very well,” Pieter said. “We’ll be waiting.”

He and the other men turned and marched out of the tent. As they did so, more laughter broke out. This time more audible.

“You see?” Lux said, leaning toward Ahsoka. “They’re not the butchers you make them out to be.”

Ahsoka had no response. She could only frown and think.

Something seemed wrong. The Death Watch and Pre Vizla she had heard of wouldn’t do something like this. Wouldn’t just give in without any kind of fight just because they 'weren’t welcome’ anymore. But there wasn’t anything she could do about it at the moment, so she just kept quiet.

* * *

“Hey,” Rex hissed. “Hey!”

R2-D2 gave a start and whipped around toward him, beeping excitedly.

“Shh, shh!” Rex put one finger to the mouthpiece of his helmet, approaching the little droid.

Night had fallen. He’d been waiting outside the camp for a few hours, looking for the right opportunity to sneak inside. Now, not only was it dark out, but it seemed as though there was some sort of feast going on inside the main tent. Seizing the chance, Rex had snuck inside the camp’s wall and began poking around looking for anyone he recognized or something that could give him a fighting chance against Death Watch.

After a few minutes of little success, he stumbled upon one hastily-erected tent that was somewhat separate from the rest. Stepping inside, he saw that it was full of damaged droids; some whole, while others were in various pieces haphazardly tossed upon the ground. He saw MagnaGuards, protocol droids, pit droids, and even a hulking LR-57 combat droid. In the midst of it all was R2-D2, apparently in the middle of making repairs to a few of them. His probe arm was extended and sparks flew from it as he welded the arm back onto a protocol droid.

So he had approached.

“Artoo, what’s going on?” he asked, taking a knee next to the astromech. “Where’s Ahsoka and the Bonteri kid?”

Pausing in his work, R2 shifted toward Rex and began beeping and whistling in binary. Rex really needed to brush up on that. Apparently, it came in handier than he’d previously realized. Still, he picked up the gist of the situation.

“So . . .” he said, thinking, “you’re telling me that Bonteri wanted revenge on Dooku for killing his mother, so he made a deal with Death Watch and now we got dragged into it?”

R2 whistled an affirmative.

“Great,” Rex muttered, shaking his head. “ _Osik_. If I wouldn’t get terminated, I’d probably shoot that kid myself.” He remembered he had an audience. “Er . . . don’t repeat that, okay?”

R2 whistled in agreement.

Rex stood and peeked out of the tent, looking over at the hut that everyone seemed to be inside of at the moment. Ahsoka was in there. He could feel it. But he didn’t have much hope of helping her on his own. Sure, he had the element of surprise, but that didn’t mean he could take on a whole camp full of Mandalorian warriors.

He’d have to keep waiting. At least he was on-site now.

He turned back toward R2. “You have any ideas on how to help Ahsoka?” he asked.

In answer, the droid opened two compartments in his chassis and showed Rex that he had both of Ahsoka’s lightsabers tucked inside of his body.

Rex’s eyebrows shot up. “Well . . . that would do it,” he said, a little impressed.

The astromech said something else.

But . . . that couldn’t be right.

“Wait . . . you plan on . . . having these droids help us?” Rex asked, glancing around at the various carcasses stacked inside the tent.

R2 beeped a ‘yes.’

Well . . . there were a lot of them. And if R2 reprogrammed them . . . maybe it would work. It was better than nothing.

Rex chuckled. “Good job, little guy,” he said, patting his domed head. “Guess we’ll just wait for the right opportunity, and then we’ll take ‘em by surprise.”

R2 beeped excitedly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Standing Next to Me - The Last Shadow Puppets
> 
> Have I committed blasphemy yet?


	57. The Knowing

**Local village, Carlac**

Ahsoka sat on the back of one of Death Watch’s speeders once more, feeling the cold wind bite at her exposed face as they zoomed along a snowy path.

It was the following morning, and she and Lux were accompanying Death Watch as they escorted the women they’d kidnapped back to Chieftan Pieter’s village.

She had a bad feeling about this. She was sure that something was going to go wrong. Or that Pre Vizla had some sort of ulterior motive for returning the women. He didn’t seem to be the charitable type, so she was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Especially since it meant that she’d probably have to fight. Undercover or not, she couldn’t just stand by and let innocent people get hurt.

So, as they approached the tall, ornate gate that led into a small village comprised mostly of wooden huts and houses, she tried to be ready for anything.

The speeders, loaded with both Mandalorians and their prisoners, jetted through the town, passing hut after hut until they came to what seemed to be the town center. They stopped in a clear area in front of what seemed to be the largest building: a square structure with a sloping, ornately carved roof.

The whole town seemed to be gathered to receive their women.

Pre Vizla, who flew in using the jetpack mounted to his armor, landed in front of the speeders, meeting Chieftain Pieter and a few other villagers halfway.

“You have kept your word,” said the Chieftain, clearly surprised, bowing as everyone disembarked. “We are very grateful for your understanding.”

At that moment, eight more Death Watch members flew in with jetpacks, landing on the roofs of the houses surrounding the town square. Everyone glanced up, a little nervous. Ahsoka did as well, her eyes narrowed.

This certainly didn’t look like a gesture of peace to her.

“I am a man of my word,” said Vizla, grabbing Tyla by the arm and bringing her forward toward the Chieftain. He pushed the girl toward him. “Here is your granddaughter –” He reached onto his back and drew something. “– as promised.”

He held the hilt of what seemed to be a weapon in his right hand. It activated, and from the hilt sprung a long, blade that looked similar to a lightsaber but . . . wasn’t. Instead of a usual color – blue, green, red – the ‘saber was jet black, and pulsed with energy that Ahsoka had never seen before in her life.

“No!”

Before anyone could do anything, Vizla grabbed Tryla by the shoulder and plunged the ‘saber into her back spearing her right through the torso.

“Tryla!” Ahsoka shouted.

Lux tried to hold her back but she rushed forward, passing everyone and only stopping once she was kneeling beside the girl, who had collapsed to the ground in front of Cheiftan Pieter, who looked shocked and horrified.

One look at the wound in Tryla’s stomach told Ahsoka that she wasn’t going to make it. A smoking, cauterized hole now sat in the exact center of her torso. The blade had probably pierced right through her spine. This girl was innocent. She’d wanted no part in Death Watch’s mission, but she’d been pulled into it anyway.

And now she was paying the price.

“Kill them!” Pre Vizla ordered. “Kill them all!”

Death Watch sprang into action. As those on the ground drew blasters, the ones that were perched upon the roofs all around the town square activated the flamethrowers built into their gauntlets. They began torching the houses, setting the wooden structures alight.

“Save them, Ahsoka,” Tryla gasped as Ahsoka turned her onto her back. “Save them. Save my people.”

And she went limp, her eyes glazing over as her head hit the ground.

“Why?” Lux demanded of Pre Vizla, mouth hanging open. “What are you doing?”

The Mandalorian put an arm around Lux’s shoulders. “Never,” he said, “let the weak tell you what to do. Welcome to Death Watch!”

The village was burning.

Ahsoka couldn’t just sit by and watch it happen, even if she didn’t have her lightsabers. Looking left, she saw that one Mandalorian had shifted his focus from setting fire to a house to aiming his flamethrower at several villagers that were scrambling away from the blazing structure. One girl tripped. In a matter of seconds, she’d be burned alive.

Barely thinking about it, Ahsoka sprang forward, snatching up a long, thin piece of wood that had dislodged from the building in front of her. Holding the wood like a spear, she aimed upwards and threw it at the Mandalorian.

It whistled as it sailed through the air toward its target, and there was an audible ‘thunk’ as it pierced the man’s unarmored side. He let out a scream of pain and fell against the roof, the piece of wood jammed deep into his abdomen.

He hadn’t even hit the ground before Ahsoka tore off her winter coat and grabbed a metal bar from the wreckage of the burning building. Whirling around, she charged toward a pair of nearby Death Watch members. She leapt into the air, spinning and striking one of them right in the head with her makeshift weapon, sending him to the ground. As she landed, the other man turned toward her, raising his blaster. But Ahsoka was too quick for him. Ducking under his arc of fire, she swung one of her legs in an upward kick, catching the Mandalorian in the neck before following up with a two-handed strike from her makeshift weapon.

Suddenly, Ahsoka felt the Force warning her. Spinning around, she saw Pre Vizla sailing through the air toward her, his strange lightsaber held in both hands, ready to cut her in two. Acting on instinct, Ahsoka raised her metal pole. But it wasn’t a lightsaber.

Vizla’s weapon cut her pole in two, forcing her to take a step back as the Mandalorian landed in front of her, already bringing his ‘saber around for another strike. She dropped the remains of her weapon and dashed backward, avoiding a swing that would’ve cut her in half. She was about to move again when she felt something wrap around her left arm.

It was a cable. Another Death Watch member with a jetpack had swooped in and targeted her, pulling the cable tight as another Mandalorian shot another cable around her right arm. She was simultaneously pulled in two directions at once, as each man dragged her arm in an opposite direction. She tried to wriggle out, but they were too strong for her.

Before she knew it, another pair of cables were wrapped around her stomach from behind. They yanked at her, and she slipped in the cold snow, falling onto her stomach.

“Now what do we have here?” Pre Vizla said, walking toward her with his ‘saber still held in one hand. He raised his head and looked around at the other Mandalorians. “I think we’ve caught ourselves a Jedi!”

Lux tried to step forward, but one of the Death Watch members was holding him back. Still struggling Ahsoka looked up at him, staring him down. He needed to stop. There wasn’t anything he could do to help her. No sense in them both being killed.

“Drag her back to camp!” Vizla ordered.

Ahsoka felt the cables that were wrapped all around her start to pull, and she slid along the frigid ground, back in the direction of the speeders.

_Oh, Force. They’re actually going to_ drag _me back._

It was going to be a long, cold, painful journey.

She hadn’t saved the village, but she at least hoped some of the locals managed to escape. At least she’d saved a few innocents that day.

* * *

Rex watched with his arms folded as R2-D2 finished fiddling with the internal wiring of a DUM-series pit droid.

He chirped his success, rolling a few paces back and allowing the other droid the freedom to move around.

As far as Rex could tell, the astromech had tirelessly been making repairs all night. Now, finally, he was done, and they could put his plan into action. In theory, at least.

Death Watch and everyone else in the camp had loaded onto a few speeders and taken off earlier in the morning. It had been an hour or so and they still hadn’t returned, so there was no telling where everyone was. Rex could only hope it wasn’t anything too serious since Ahsoka had gone with them.

“Thank you, friend,” rumbled an LR-57 combat droid with the legs of a crab droid, looking down at R2 with its huge, red sensor eye. “How can we repay you?”

There was a sudden commotion from out in the camp. Rex and the droids all turned toward the source of the noise, looking out one large tear in the tent’s wall. Rex crouched low to the ground, peeking over a crate so as to minimize his chance of being seen.

His heart sank.

Death Watch had returned to the camp, this time without the locals. They still had one prisoner, though: Ahsoka. She no longer wore her long, gray parka and was now bound by several lines of cable emanating from the gauntlets of the Mandalorians. She struggled, attempting to free herself, but it was all in vain.

Several Mandalorians dragged the girl into the center of the camp, before reaching down and pulling her up by her arms. Keeping a tight grip on her, they led her and Bonteri – who Rex saw was nowhere near as heavily guarded or even tied up – into one of the tents on the opposite side of the camp.

“Shit,” Rex muttered. “That’s going to accelerate our schedule, isn’t it?”

R2 began to beep agitatedly, turning toward the droids that had gathered around them.

“Rescue your friends?” asked the LR-57, apparently looking for confirmation. “How?”

R2 let out another flurry of beeps; so fast that Rex didn’t catch much of what he said. He was explaining a plan, though, and that was good enough for him.

“I compute,” nodded the LR-57. “I will prepare the others.”

As the combat droid turned toward the others that had assembled, R2-D2 rolled quickly out of the tent and began moving over toward where Death Watch had taken Ahsoka and Bonteri. Still unsure as to what exactly they were going to do but with few other options, Rex drew one of his sidearms and followed the little droid, keeping low to the ground as he crossed the camp.

It had started snowing again, and clouds blotted out the sun, making the whole place seem dark even though it was scarcely midday. Maybe the darkness would help provide a little cover if – or rather _when_ – they needed to make a hasty exit.

Rex and R2 reached the other tent at the same time. They surveyed the scene taking place inside.

Ahsoka was trussed up and on her knees in the center of the tent, her back to the entrance and surrounded by armed Death Watch members. Pre Vizla stood in front of her, helmetless and looking mighty displeased. Lux Bonteri stood to one side, his hands held tightly behind his back by another Mandalorian.

“Now, Lux Bonteri,” Vizla said, turning to regard the boy, “this does not look good. This does not look good at all. I asked you to join us in good faith, and you bring a _Jedi_ into our camp!”

“She wasn’t meant to be here,” Bonteri said. “Please. Let her go.”

“I’m afraid that’s not an option,” Vizla sneered. He reached behind him and drew out what looked to be the hilt of a lightsaber.

Rex narrowed his eyes. It certainly wasn’t one of Ahsoka’s, so where had he gotten it?

“I believed you had honor,” Bonteri snarled, “but you’re just murderers! No better than Dooku.”

Vizla rounded on him, holding up the lightsaber hilt threateningly. “You call us murderers, and yet it was your own lust for revenge that made you seek us out.”

“I wanted justice for my mother’s death,” Bonteri retorted, meeting Vizla’s gaze.

Rex had to hand it to the kid; he had some steel in him. Even if it was misplaced.

“And you shall have it,” Vizla said, “but the Jedi are no different from Dooku, and this one shall pay in part for their crimes against Mandalore.” He gestured at Ahsoka. Then, he stepped back and ignited the lightsaber.

But it wasn’t a lightsaber at all. Not in the traditional sense.

Instead of a colored blade with a white center, this weapon was almost completely black, save for a faint, white light that emanated from it. And Rex realized what it was. The Darksaber. An ancient blade that had been wielded by the first Mandalorian to ever be inducted into the Jedi Order. He’d always thought that it was just some fantasy story told by Mandalorians that had been bastardized throughout the ages, but here it was.

Vizla leveled the blade at Ahsoka’s throat. “So you see, it’s not murder at all. It’s like you say: it’s justice!” He held the ‘saber high, ready to swing in a wide arc that would surely take Ahsoka’s head clean off.

_Oh, no you don’t!_

Rex stepped forward but R2-D2 was already moving. The astromech rolled forward and slammed into the back of the Mandalorian closest to the flap of the tent. He let out a high-pitched whistle and activated all of his spanners, probes, scopes, and other instruments at once, drawing all attention in the room onto himself.

Vizla paused, looking over at the droid instead of Ahsoka. R2 buzzed and spun around, firing up his in-built fire extinguisher and sending up a huge cloud of smoke that obscured most of the tent.

“Ahsoka, now!” shouted Bonteri from somewhere ahead.

Rex stepped into the tent and leveled his blaster at the face of the Death Watch member that R2 had bumped into. The man looked at him and reached for his own blaster, but Rex put a round right through his visor before he’d even drawn his weapon.

Before he could do much else, another Mandalorian grabbed Rex from behind, and the two of them struggled to gain the upper hand over the other.

R2 rolled forward, ejecting Ahsoka’s lightsabers from his chassis and holding them out. He stopped just behind the young Jedi, holding them out so she could reach them from behind her back.

“Thanks, buddy,” she said, igniting them.

In a whirlwind, she sprang to her feet, flipping up into the air and cutting the cables that encircled her, breaking free. On her way back down, she spun in the air, twirling her weapons in a deadly circle and slicing at the necks of the four Death Watch members that had been holding her down.

They fell. Bodies one way, heads the other.

_Damn._

Rex grabbed the man that had him from behind and crouched using his opponent’s body weight against him and flipping him over his shoulder. The Mandalorian landed with a grunt before Rex and he had his blaster pressed against the front of his helmet in a heartbeat.

“Stop!” shouted Vizla.

Silence fell.

Rex looked up to see that several Mandalorians had their weapons trained on Ahsoka, who stood in the middle of the room, her lightsabers held at the ready.

“The Jedi is mine,” Vizla asserted. He held the Darksaber up once more, stepping closer to Ahsoka.

“Lux, Rex; get to the ship,” Ahsoka ordered, barely glancing over her shoulder.

Bonteri and R2 turned and slipped out of the tent. Rex opened his mouth, about to protest. But at that moment, a wave of assurance came through from Ahsoka via their Force Bond. She was sure she could handle this. And they _would_ be needing a quick escape.

He had to trust her.

Groaning, Rex pulled the trigger on his blaster, killing the Mandalorian he had pinned beneath him, and stood before turning and exiting the tent. Behind him, heard shouts and the sounds of lightsabers colliding, but he forced himself not to look. Back out in the cold and the snow, Rex found himself face-to-face with a small army of haphazardly put-together droids.

Oh, right. He’d almost forgotten that they actually had some semblance of a plan.

He moved off to the side, joining R2-D2 and Bonteri. Just in time, too, as only a moment later, Ahsoka came flying out of the flap, landing in a heap on the ground outside. Sucking in a deep breath, she looked up. Her eyes went wide when she realized she was staring into the faceplate of the LR-57.

“I guess R2 made some friends,” Bonteri quipped, patting the droid on his dome.

Ahsoka pushed herself to her feet as Pre Vizla and the other Death Watch members rushed out of the tent. They all pulled up short as they realized they weren’t just going to be fighting Ahsoka, Rex, R2, and Bonteri.

Rex drew his second DC-17 as the droids opened fire with whatever weapons they had. Arm-mounted cannons, stolen blasters, whatever. He started shooting, too, and the Mandalorians were forced to take evasive action, running to the side, jumping high into the air with their jetpacks.

Vizla held his ground as Ahsoka charged at him with her lightsabers. She was the one on the offensive now, slashing and thrusting with her weapons Vizla did the same, even switching to a blaster mounted on his gauntlet in an attempt to throw her off.

Rex realized they didn’t have a lot of time.

The droids were good cover, but the Mandalorians were skilled warriors. They were cutting their way through the mechanical beings with relative ease. They were too quick, and their armor offered better protection against blasters. Friendly forces were falling quickly.

Glancing around, Rex spied an unoccupied landspeeder not too far away. Nudging a nearby R2-D2, he pointed it out. The two of them, followed quickly by Bonteri, made for the vehicle, dodging a few blaster bolts that came their way and stepping over the wreckage of various fallen droids and even a few dead Mandalorians.

Bonteri reached the speeder first, climbing into the driver’s seat and pressing buttons, attempting to start the vehicle up. Rex and R2 didn’t have much choice but to cram together into the passenger seat.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, kid,” Rex hissed, shifting himself so he wouldn’t be crushed by the weight of the astromech.

“You don’t have to worry about me,” the boy shot back, not even looking at him.

After a moment or two, the speeder’s engine hummed and it lifted off the ground slightly.

There was a sudden explosion off to the side, and Rex whipped his head around to see Ahsoka fall to the ground, covering her head to protect herself against the shrapnel flung outward from the blast.

“Ahsoka!” Bonteri called, waving to her as he piloted the speeder closer.

Ahsoka scrambled to her feet and stowed her lightsabers on her belt. Running forward, she leapt onto the speeder and grabbed onto the large flat space on the rear of the speeder. Bonteri gunned the engine and the speeder shot out of the camp, floating over the road that led back in the direction of their ship.

“You okay?” Rex asked, twisting around so he could get a good look at Ahsoka.

She was pressed against the speeder, her eyes squinted against the cold wind that was buffeting her face as they surged down the road. She was covered in scrapes and bruises as well as several layers of dirt and soot.

“I’ve – been better,” Ahsoka said, grimacing. “If we get out of here, I’ll tell ya about it.”

Movement from over her shoulder caught Rex’s attention. Looking up into the air, he could make out the figures of three Mandalorians flying through the air toward them, blasters raised and backlit from the fire emitting from their jetpacks.

“Incoming!” he warned, pointing up at them.

One of the Mandalorians aimed his gauntlet at the speeder. Pressing a button on it, a micromissile shot forth, hitting the ground just beside their getaway vehicle and causing it to rock violently. Rex braced himself against the seat as R2-D2 let out a loud whine of distress. Ahsoka was flung off-balance and landed on her back against one of the propulsion turbines on the side of the landspeeder.

Bonteri glanced around. “What should we –”

“Just shut up and drive!” Rex barked. The last thing they needed was to crash because their pilot was worried about what was behind them as opposed to what was in front of them.

Rex leaned back and drew one of his pistols, taking aim at their pursuers. Ahsoka pushed herself to her feet and activated both her lightsabers, taking a defensive stance in the middle of the speeder.

Rex and the Mandalorians opened fire at once. Ahsoka twisted and swung her ‘sabers, blocking blaster bolts and deflecting one so that it slammed into one of the Mandalorians, hitting him square in the shoulder and sending him careening into a nearby tree.

A split second later, a second Death Watch member shot forward, leveraging the afterburners on his jetpack to reach the speeder. He slammed into Ahsoka, knocking her to the back of the speeder and wrapping his hands around her throat. Not only did Ahsoka drop her lightsaber into the main area – out of her reach – but the force of the impact also sent Rex off-balance, causing him to slip forward into the console, dropping his pistol in the process.

Rex steadied himself, then ejected his vibroblade from its casing in his forearm plate and plunged it into the neck of the Mandalorian choking Ahsoka. He let go of her instantly, rearing back and clutching at the blade in his throat as awful gurgling noises emanated from inside his helmet. Rex reared back with his other fist and punched the man in the face, sending him sailing off the back of the speeder, blade still protruding from his neck.

Ahsoka shot up, rubbing her throat with one hand. “Thanks,” she gasped, glancing back at Rex.

There wasn’t time for much else, however, as the final Mandalorian – one of the few women Rex had seen at the camp – landed on the back of the speeder. She raised one gauntleted fist and took aim at Ahsoka. Rex ducked as a pair of blaster bolts shot over his head. Ahsoka twisted with her limited space, only just managing to dodge the rounds that would’ve punched right through her at point-blank range.

She threw a punch, but the woman caught it, using Ahsoka’s momentum to shove her off the side of the speeder. The girl grabbed onto the side turbine, holding onto it for dear life as her feet skidded on the snow below, kicking up huge clouds of white powder.

The woman chuckled, raising her gauntlet once more and pointing it right at Ahsoka’s face.

Before Rex could do anything, Bonteri jerked the speeder to one side, causing Rex to have to dig his feet into the floor and grip the rear seat tightly to avoid being thrown into R2-D2. Luckily, the female Mandalorian on the rear of their speeder had a similar issue, having to quickly brace herself to avoid behind thrown off the vehicle.

That gave Ahsoka just enough time to pull herself back up onto the speeder. She launched herself at the woman, spinning and throwing a vicious kick at her helmeted head. The woman caught the blow, grunting as she was forced against the chassis of the vehicle.

She wasn’t finished yet, though, as she made a fist, causing a small blade to pop out of her gauntlet.

She stood and swung at Ahsoka, who ducked and drove her knee into the woman’s stomach, causing her to fold in on herself and take a step back. The Jedi took the opportunity to go on the offensive once more, pushing forward with both her hands and using the Force to push the Mandalorian over the front of the speeder. She tumbled into the snow and in moments was left in their dust; defeated.

Rex glanced around.

No one else was following them.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

* * *

Lux parked the landspeeder beside the _Phoenix_ and powered it down.

He, Ahsoka, Rex, and R2 all disembarked, running toward the ship and up the entrance ramp. As Lux turned to close the door behind them, Ahsoka, Rex, and R2 all ran for the bridge. Death Watch might still be after them, so there was no telling how much time they had before reinforcements showed up. The sooner they got off the planet, the better.

Rex threw himself into the pilot’s seat and R2 rolled up beside him. The pair of them started the ship’s engines and Rex took over the controls, lifting the ship up off the ground and piloting them up into the atmosphere.

“Next time you think about taking some crazy detour on a routine mission that might lead to more danger than we’re prepared for,” Rex said, reaching up and pulling off his helmet, “don’t.”

Ahsoka snorted. “It wasn’t exactly my idea,” she pointed out. “Thanks for the help, by the way.”

“Ah, it was mostly Artoo’s idea,” Rex said, waving her off. “ _I_ certainly never would’ve thought about getting all those reassembled droids on our side.”

The astromech beeped appreciatively.

“Good job, Artoo.”

He beeped again, but it wasn’t in response. He was monitoring the ship and had noticed something.

“What do you mean ‘the escape pod has been activated?’” she asked. She and Rex certainly hadn’t done that, and –

The droid beeped again.

“Lux!” she realized. “Artoo, Rex; the ship is yours.”

Rex might’ve said something, but she wasn’t paying attention. Instead, she whipped around and ran out of the cockpit, headed for the lower level where she knew the escape pod was. Why the escape pod? What was he thinking?

Ahsoka plunged down a short ladder into the loading bay and ran for the pod, but the door was already sealed, barring her from entry. Desperate, she pressed against the viewport in the door and banged on it, grabbing the attention of the boy that sat at the controls inside.

“Lux!” she shouted. “Lux, what are you doing?”

He glanced around, looking surprised to see her. He stood and walked toward the door; his face crestfallen.

“I can’t go with you, Ahsoka,” he said, shaking his head. “You . . . you know that.” He looked away.

“But . . . but we can try,” she insisted. He couldn’t just walk out. Yeah, he was in a politically dangerous position; a Separatist that had defected and didn’t want to work with the Republic. He was also an idealist and clearly didn’t know when he was in over his head. But his heart seemed to be in the right place. And he did care about her; she could feel it. “Uh . . . try to . . . change things. Together.”

That caught his attention. He looked her square in the eyes for a moment.

He gave a small smile. “We make a pretty good team, don’t we?” he said, shrugging.

But he wasn’t going to stay. She could tell his mind was made up. He was stubborn like that.

She looked away.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll meet again. I promise.”

That was it, then.

Ahsoka placed one hand against the transparasteel. After a moment, Lux mimicked her, putting his hand right against hers, separated only by a few inches.

“Be careful, Lux,” Ahsoka said. It was a big, dangerous galaxy and he was still an impressionable teenager. If the whole ‘joining up with Death Watch’ thing had taught her anything, it was that.

He smiled, his blue eyes meeting hers.

Then, he reached away, hit the disengage button, and the escape pod detached from the ship.

He was gone. Floating away toward who knows where? On his own.

Ahsoka hoped he made it. She wanted to see him again.

* * *

Rex pulled the lever in front of him and felt the ship shift slightly as the stars he could see out of the viewport before him streaked across his vision.

R2-D2 had made the necessary calculations and they had now charted a course for Coruscant; where they should have been headed yesterday. Instead, they’d gotten dragged along on some revenge scheme by a seventeen-year-old and almost got killed by Death Watch several times.

At least it was over.

Now the only thing he had to endure was a long ride through hyperspace and probably getting chewed out by Skywalker for not keeping a better handle on things at the negotiations.

Behind him, he heard the door to the bridge slide open.

He spun around in his chair to see Ahsoka slouching into the room, her shoulder slumped and her eyes on her feet. There was no sign of Bonteri. Walking forward, she collapsed into the chair beside Rex.

“I . . . take it Bonteri took off, then?” Rex asked, raising one eyebrow.

“Yeah,” Ahsoka mumbled, looking down. “He wasn’t going to go back to the Republic.”

“No,” Rex agreed. “I guess he wasn’t.”

It would certainly have been a gamble on Bonteri’s part. The Senate didn’t take kindly to Separatists, even past ones. It seemed that the longer the war went on, the more hatred the two sides felt for each other. If he came back, there was no guarantee that he would be given amnesty and not held accountable for the actions of _real_ Separatists. Especially since he had no love for the Republic.

Staying away was the smarter move, but Ahsoka clearly didn’t care about that.

She was definitely sweet on the kid. It was pointless to deny that. After their conversation earlier in the year, Rex could’ve convinced himself that this was just some phase. That she just liked him because he was the first boy to show her genuine attention. Now, though, it was clear that she harbored some feelings for him.

And he really had no choice but to help her work through them, even if he hated it.

Rex sighed. “Look, don’t . . . take it personally,” he said. “I think it was probably the best move for him.”

“It didn’t have to be,” Ahsoka said, still not looking up. “We could’ve worked something out if we tried.”

Rex wasn’t entirely sure if she was talking about amnesty or a relationship, but he decided against asking for clarification.

“Well . . . I, er . . .” he said, casting around for something to say. _Shit._ He sighed. “I don’t know, littl’un. I’m not gonna pretend I’m an expert at this type of thing. At all. Best I can do is just listen and tell you what I think.”

Ahsoka slowly looked up at him, still frowning. “You really wanna hear?”

_No._

But he gestured out the front viewport. “We’ve got a couple of hours of flight time ahead of us,” he said. “Not much else to do.”

She gave him a small smile and straightened in her seat slightly. “Thanks, Rex. You’re the best.”

Rex shook his head. “No need to tell me twice. Hit me.”

Ahsoka shifted in her seat. “It’s, uh, it’s kinda complicated,” she said. “I mean, there’s the whole thing about me being a Jedi and him being an ex-Separatist . . . And we seem to get in trouble whenever we’re together.”

“And that’s stopped you before?”

“I guess not,” Ahsoka said, smiling slightly. “Anyway, I guess things just got a little . . . confusing this time.”

“How so?”

“Well, for one, he kissed me.”

Rex’s eyebrows shot up as he willed his expression to stay as passive as possible despite the fact that his stomach dropped out from under him.

_He did_ what _now?_

When had _that_ happened? Why? Rex and her get separated for less than twenty-four hours and _this_ is what goes on?

She must’ve seen – or sensed – some reaction, because she just barreled on. “It was a distraction,” she said quickly. “I didn’t notice Pre Vizla coming and was saying some stuff that would’ve gotten us caught, and Lux kissed me to hide what was going on.” She bit her lip.

“But . . .” Rex prompted, sensing there was more going on here.

“But . . . I . . . I dunno,” Ahsoka said. “It felt . . . like there was more to it than just a distraction. It definitely felt that way to _me_. I – I got flustered, and my heart started racing, and I was just – ugh, it’s hard to explain.”

Rex felt like his brain might melt and start coming out of his ears.

As much as he _did not_ want to hear any of this, he’d – stupidly – promised that he’d talk Ahsoka through it. And he couldn’t break his word even if he hated everything he heard. She deserved better than that, and he wasn’t looking to let her down.

He could do that, right?

“I, er . . . Is that it?” Rex asked.

“What do you mean, ‘is that it?’” Ahsoka asked incredulously, gaping at him. “I think that’s a pretty big thing, don’t you?”

_Well, what do I know, anyway?_

“I . . . guess?” Rex said. “Do you think he . . . has feelings for you?” Each word felt like it was raking long, sharp claws over his tongue as he said them.

Ahsoka was quiet for a few moments, apparently thinking.

“I . . . think so,” she said, finally. “I mean, he always seems to take an interest in me. And he seemed pretty flustered by the kiss too. And he went along with our cover that I was his betrothed pretty we –”

“You _what_?”

“Oh. Uh, did I forget to mention that? It’s how we explained why I was there.”

Rex stared at her.

“I guess I did,” Ahsoka said. “Anyway . . . Yeah. I think he does.”

“Well,” Rex said, leaning back in his seat and suppressing the urge to run a hand down his face, “you saved his life, he almost got you killed, he helped save your life . . . I guess you two have done quite a bit together.”

“We’ve only really seen each other twice,” Ahsoka said.

Rex shrugged sadly. “Could be a spark,” he said, resigning himself to the reality of the situation. “You never really know. Could take two days, could take two years. When you know, you know.”

“How would _you_ know?” asked Ahsoka staring up at him.

“The Holovids,” Rex lied. “Tup and Dandy like romance flicks, so when they win the draw, that’s what we watch. Besides, it’s not like I haven’t seen other clones fall in love before.”

“But not you?” she raised a brow.

What was she getting at?

“Why?” Rex avoided the question.

“I dunno,” Ahsoka shrugged. “It just sounds like you know a little more than just out of Holovids. You ever fall for a girl, Rexter?”

“Once.” The word was out before he could stop himself. _Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!_ “I think. Maybe. No. I don’t know. Can we just focus on you?”

“Aw, come on, spill it. Who’s the lucky girl?” Ahsoka asked. She was smiling again. But, strangely, Rex didn’t detect any mirth behind it.

She wasn’t happy. Or teasing him. But she still wanted to know.

That was . . . odd. Wasn’t it?

“Nobody,” Rex said, waving her off. He turned back toward the controls so he could hide his face. “Listen, if you want my advice with the Bonteri kid, here you go: just do whatever you want. Whatever your heart tells you to.”

“But the Jedi Code –”

“What does it matter?” Rex asked. Maybe that came out a little harsher than he intended. He tried again. “Listen, I get that you have ideals. I respect that. So do other Jedi. But not all of them. I mean, look at General Skywalker. I think there’s a difference between acting on your emotions and being a slave to them. Maybe once upon a time, I would’ve told you that if you lived your life by a code, you’d have to stick to it one-hundred percent. I . . . see things a little differently now. If you want to bend some rules here and there if it makes you happy, do it. Don’t just sit around and think about it. The opportunity’ll pass you by and you’ll wonder about it forever.”

Those words hurt.

There was silence for a few long moments.

“I see . . .” Ahsoka said, sounding lost in thought. “Thanks, Rex. I’ll think about what you said. I’m glad I can count on you for this sort of thing.”

“Of course, Ahsoka,” Rex said. “Anytime."

It would never have worked between them, anyhow. There were just too many . . . complications. He'd do better to just bury everything he felt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Knowing - The Weeknd
> 
> That ending was a kick in the teeth, wasn't it?  
> And that, lads, is why we don't make deals with terrorists. Unless they're rebels. Or something. It's complicated and the line is blurry.
> 
> I wanted Rex and Ahsoka's conversation to take up a chapter on its own, but I couldn't make it long enough without adding unnecessary extra stuff, so y'all get a long chapter today.


	58. Afraid

**City Streets, Coruscant**

Ahsoka walked alongside Anakin and Obi-Wan through the Coruscant streets. There was no mission, no impending danger threatening the galaxy. At least, not at the moment. Instead, the three of them had been picked for street patrol. A boring but still important task.

Often, the Coruscant Guard would enlist the help of Jedi to patrol the streets and check for suspicious activity. The philosophy was that Jedi would be able to pick up on things that normal clones couldn’t, and would therefore be instrumental in discovering and helping to stop illegal activity more effectively. It was a noble goal, but Ahsoka still wasn’t sure how she felt about Jedi essentially acting as stand-in police on Coruscant. It seemed . . . wrong somehow.

It certainly wasn’t a job for peacekeepers.

Then again, the term peacekeeper was getting harder and harder to define the longer the war dragged on.

So Ahsoka did her duty, like it or not.

Even if three Jedi on a single patrol seemed like a bit too many for some reason.

But now, they were headed back across a loading platform on one of the lower levels toward a Republic shuttle that was waiting for them. The patrol was over. For now

“So, what’s the big rush?” asked Anakin, looking over at Obi-Wan.

“The Jedi Council has called an emergency meeting,” his old Master explained.

Anakin sighed. “I can see it now,” he said. “Another long, boring debate.”

“Would you rather they call you in to train Younglings?” teased Ahsoka. No matter how much her Master detested bureaucracy and meetings, she knew he disliked having to wrangle a classroom of youngsters even more.

Anakin chuckled. “Are you crazy? I’d probably kill them.”

Ahsoka was about to laugh when a blaster bolt suddenly whizzed in between Anakin and Obi-Wan, striking the ground just in front of them and narrowly missing Anakin’s right shoulder.

The three Jedi took evasive action. As more blaster bolts rained down on them, they dodged and weaved. Anakin and Ahsoka slipped behind a stack of loading crates just ahead. Obi-Wan did the same, though took a stack opposite to them. Civilians began screaming and running, hustling away from the dock that had suddenly turned into the scene of an active shootout.

“Any idea where that shot came from?” Obi-Wan called, pressing against the crates as another bolt slammed into one only a few inches from his head.

Ahsoka scanned the surroundings, looking for the point of origin. She detected movement, and her gaze was drawn upwards. Crouched on the roof of one of the nearest buildings was a shadowy figure. In his hands, he clutched a long rifle. Even as she watched, he pulled the trigger, causing another shot to whizz downward and strike the ground in between the Jedi.

“A sniper,” she warned, pointing. “I see him up there.”

It briefly occurred to her how calm she was. For most people, this sort of thing would be absolutely terrifying. She was still scared, yes. Just a bit, anyway. But she didn’t let that stop her from acting and reacting. Maybe she was getting better at centering herself in the Force. Maybe she was just desensitized to getting shot at after three years on the front lines of a war.

Whichever.

“Alright, here’s the plan,” Obi-Wan said. “Anakin – you flank him on the right. Ahsoka – you cover the lower streets. I’m going after him.”

Ahsoka and Anakin nodded as one.

All three Jedi drew their lightsabers and burst out from behind cover. They ran forward; towards the sniper’s position. Then they split up. Obi-Wan began scaling the building that their adversary was perched upon, Anakin started climbing a building across the street, and Ahsoka darted down the alleyway just ahead. With any luck, the three of them would converge on their target and this whole situation would be over just as quickly as it had started.

The sight of a Jedi running through the streets with her lightsaber out was enough to convince most people to clear out of her way. She had no trouble racing forward to make sure that their assailant didn’t escape on foot.

She heard the report of the rifle again and glanced up.

The figure had jumped over a gap and seemed to be heading further down the block, using the rooftops as his travel method. Ahsoka kept pace, sidestepping streetlights and dodging pedestrians as she went. Above, she sensed Anakin and Obi-Wan doing the same.

Her commlink suddenly went off. “I lost him!” Anakin cursed. “Obi-Wan, do you have anything?”

Ahsoka pulled up short. Lost him? Who was this guy and why was he targeting them? How had he slipped away just like that?

She didn’t have time to think about it, as at that moment, she heard the sound of blaster fire once more. There was a cry of pain from above, and a body plummeted to the ground, landing amidst some crates and trash bins only a meter away from her.

“Obi-Wan!” shouted Anakin.

_Obi-Wan_ was the one who’d just fallen.

“I got him!” Ahsoka called up to Anakin. “Go!”

Panic shot through her as she stowed her lightsaber on her belt and raced over to the fallen Jedi Master. He was not moving. At all. She skidded down onto her knees next to him, pulling him out of the crates and examining him. There was a scorching mark in his robes in the upper left area of his chest; right over his heart. His eyes were closed, and as Ahsoka desperately pressed her fingers to his neck, she felt no pulse.

No life.

_No, no, no! This can’t be happening!_

There was no way some random sniper had just killed _Obi-Wan Kenobi_. No way.

But that was exactly what her senses were telling her. Horror and sorrow swallowed her up in a split-second.

Obi-Wan had just died right _in front of her_.

She pulled his head into her lap, cradling it there even though she knew it would do no good. A small crowd of fearful onlookers had gathered around them, staring at the young Togruta girl as she held the lifeless man’s head in her hands.

“How is he?” came the voice she knew was Anakin’s from above her.

He was standing over them both, backlit by a streetlight that cast his face entirely into shadow. Still, through their Force Bond, she could sense him.

Scared. More scared than she’d ever felt him be before.

She opened her mouth but no sound came out because there was an immense lump rising ever higher in her throat. Tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to be the one to tell him that his Master – the closest thing he had to both a father and a brother – was dead.

Obi-Wan Kenobi was dead.

He absolutely saw the look on her face and the tears that started streaming down her cheeks because he dropped to his knees.

“Obi-Wan,” he said, grabbing his shoulders as though to try and shake him awake. “Obi-Wan?” There was, of course, no response. “Obi-Wan!”

How had this happened?

* * *

“This is fucked,” Fox said, folding his arms over his chest.

Rex was inclined to agree with him, but he kept that to himself.

The both of them were watching as Captain Korbel and one of his medics carried the body of General Kenobi towards a waiting gunship that was waiting on the nearby loading dock. Fox had been called in because he was the commander of the Coruscant Guard and he was of course going to visit the scene where a Jedi had been killed. Rex was there because he’d heard the news and knew that Ahsoka and General Skywalker were involved. Plus, it was _General Kenobi_ of all people.

He knew that Jedi weren’t invincible, but part of him had always thought that if there was at least one exception to that, it was Kenobi. It was only two weeks or so ago that he and the Jedi had been trapped inside of a slave center and had to fight their way out. And now he was dead.

Just like that.

At least Cody hadn’t arrived yet. That was gonna be rough.

“How the hell did this happen?” Rex asked, shaking his head.

He watched on as Skywalker and Ahsoka were being questioned by both Captain Thire and several members of the Coruscant police force. Skywalker looked hollow; his hands clenched into tight fists and his expression a mixture of anger and sorrow. Ahsoka wasn’t much better off. She was hugging herself, her head lowered and her shoulders slumped. Rex’s impression of her through their Bond was that there was a very thin, crumbling dam somewhere inside of her, only just managing to hold back the tidal wave of emotions that was teeming to break out.

Fox shrugged. “I dunno,” he said. “It’s strange, though. This was the best spot on the planet for this to happen tonight.”

“What do you mean?”

“None of my guys were patrolling within at least four blocks of this place tonight,” Fox explained, glancing over. “Usually, we at least have a squad around, even if there’s Jedi on-site. But not tonight.”

“Why?” Rex asked, raising an eyebrow beneath his helmet.

“We got a report from the Jedi that there was a potential terroristic plot being hatched on level Thirteen-Thirteen. We had the bulk of our forces down there. Far away from here. We found a group with some Separatist ties, but nothing as big as they made it sound. Just seems a little odd to me.”

“Yeah . . .” Rex muttered. “I guess that is kinda –”

“Let me through.”

“Sir, you’re not allowed to be here.”

“The fuck I’m not. Get out of my way, Rhys. That’s an order!”

“I take my orders from Thire and Fox, sir.”

Rex and Fox turned toward the voices that were increasing in volume. A few meters away, Cody was trying to push his way past Rhys, who was attempting to keep the perimeter secure.

“Hey!” Fox called.

Both clones paused mid-row and glanced over.

“Let him through.”

Nodding, Rhys stepped aside, allowing Cody to walk – practically run – onto the scene. He didn’t get too far, though, as Rex and Fox both stepped into his path.

“Woah,” Rex said, placing a hand on his _vod_ ’s chestplate. “Slow down, there.”

“Slow down?” Cody demanded, fixing Rex with the glare from his visor. “How can you expect me to do that, Rex? Is it true? Is Kenobi really . . .”

Rex glanced over at Fox.

“It . . . looks to be that way,” said the Commander.

“I’m sorry, Cody,” Rex said as Cody’s shoulders slumped. Some of the fight went out of him.

The clone shook his head. “I . . . I can’t believe it,” he said. “What am I gonna do now?”

He seemed to be talking to himself. Rex remembered their conversation all the way back during the first year of the war. He’d told Rex that Kenobi was what he fought for. What would motivate him now? Unable to help himself, Rex glanced back toward Ahsoka. What would he do? If she were gone? He never wanted to find out.

“Did they catch the piece of rankweed that did it?” Cody growled.

“No,” Fox supplied. “But we’re looking. Hopefully, Skywalker and Tano can give a good enough description of the assailant. In any case, this kind of thing doesn’t stay quiet for long. We’ll figure out who’s responsible and they’ll get what’s coming to them.”

“They’d better.”

Rex was a little taken aback. Cody was usually calm, cool, and in control. Now, however, his emotions were clearly boiling just below the surface.

“They will,” Fox assured him.

Rex heard the sound of fast-approaching footsteps and turned just in time to register that Ahsoka was bounding toward them before she threw herself at him. Her arms wrapped around his midsection and she held herself tight to him, burying her face in his chestplate as Rex took half a step back to compensate for the sudden impact.

He really should be getting used to this by now.

Ahsoka’s shoulders shook, and he knew she was crying into his armor, trying to hide her tears from any onlookers. She needn’t have worried. Most of the civilians that the clones and the police were keeping out were too focused on the crime scene. Skywalker was nowhere in sight. It was just her, Rex, Fox, and Cody.

Hesitating only for a split second, Rex placed one hand on her back and ran the other down her rear headtail, doing his best to comfort her.

“Hey,” he said, gently. “Hey, you’re alright . . . It’ll be okay.”

Would it really?

Ahsoka didn’t speak for several moments. She just continued to sob into his armor, sucking in air every now and then and holding him as tightly as she could. Eventually, she withdrew just a bit, looking up at Rex with tears pooling in her blue eyes and streaming freely down her cheeks.

“He – he died – in front of me,” she gasped, horrified. “He fell and I-I tried to save him b-but – but he was – was alr-ready –”

She couldn’t finish. She just burrowed into Rex once more as a fresh wave of sobs overcame her.

Rex held her. “There wasn’t anything you could’ve done,” he told her. He cast a quick glance over at Fox, who nodded, confirming the details. “I’m sure you tried your best. Hey.” He grabbed her shoulders and pulled back so that he could look right at her. “It’s not your fault, okay? You couldn’t have saved him.”

He hoped his words were getting through to her.

She sniffed loudly and nodded. “O-Okay,” she said. “Okay.” She glanced over at Cody. “Cody, I – I’m s-so _sorry_.”

And before anyone knew it, she left Rex and wrapped her arms around the Commander. She held him tightly, and Cody – clearly extremely uncomfortable – was stiff as a board, holding his arms oddly outstretched underneath hers; not touching her.

Despite the grim circumstances, Rex and Fox both snorted and chuckled.

Ahsoka seemed to realize she’d overstepped a boundary, because she immediately withdrew.

“S-sorry,” she said, sniffing as she looked away. “I just – I –”

“It’s, er . . . It’s alright, ma’am,” Cody said, waving her off though still looking stiff. “Just, er . . . caught me a little off-guard.”

Rex was dead sure he was blushing and sputtering under his helmet.

“I’m sorry,” Ahsoka repeated, clutching her hands together at her waist. “I’m just . . . used to doing that.”

“I can tell,” Cody remarked, rubbing the back of his neck and glancing at Rex. “It’s alright. You don’t have anything to apologize for. I . . . appreciate the sentiment. And, listen. You . . . don’t beat yourself up over . . . what happened. Rex is right; it doesn’t sound like there was anything you could’ve done to stop it.”

Ahsoka bit her lip and nodded mutely, clearly afraid that if she spoke, she’d dissolve into tears again.

“Where’s General Skywalker?” Rex asked. If anyone was going to take this hard, it would be him.

Ahsoka swallowed. “I, uh, I don’t know,” she said, looking up at him. “He walked off. Didn’t say where he was going. I guess he just wants to be alone for a while.”

Rex doubted that, and he bet she did too. In all likelihood, Skywalker was off to see Senator Amidala. Not that Rex could blame him; if he were in the General’s situation, he’d certainly want some comfort from someone he loved.

Fox shrugged. “Can’t really blame him for that,” he said. “Still . . . probably best if someone keeps an eye on him. From what I hear, Skywalker’s one hell of a loose cannon. I wouldn’t be surprised if he just snuck off to try and track down the killer himself.”

“Keeping an eye on him’ll probably be my job,” Ahsoka sighed. “But I don’t think he’s gone after the guy. At least, not yet. He needs time to process everything. But if something comes up, he’ll definitely be the first to respond.” Ahsoka ran her hands down her face. “I think I need sleep. It’s . . . it’s gonna be a tough week, I think.”

“Want me to take you back to the Temple?” Rex asked without thinking.

“Please?”

“Of course,” Rex nodded. He looked over at Fox and Cody. “I’ll be heading out, then.”

“You do that,” Fox said. He turned his head toward Ahsoka. “You take care of yourself, ma’am. I, er . . . I know someone that’s willing to talk if you need it.”

He was talking about Riyo, of course.

“Thanks, Fox,” Ahsoka said. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Cody, who had no idea what was going on, just looked between the two, confused. “Er . . .”

“You take care of yourself too, Cody,” Rex said. “ _Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la_.”

Cody sighed, then nodded. “ _Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la._ ”

“I’ll see you around.”

* * *

The funeral of Obi-Wan Kenobi took place in the Jedi Temple the day after his death.

Plo Koon stood in his Jedi robes, his hood pulled up over his head as he stood alongside the rest of the Jedi Council and a few of Kenobi’s closest Jedi friends. There were even a few Senators and clones in attendance. Padmé Amidala, Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, Rex, Cody, Wolffe. Strangely, an ARC trooper that Plo didn’t recognize. Even the Supreme Chancellor was there.

Unsurprisingly, Duchess Satine of Mandalore had also traveled all the way to Coruscant. She was only just holding back tears, being comforted by Senator Amidala.

Before them, a table protruded from the ground. Upon it, the body was covered by a tan sheet, obscuring it from view. Anakin Skywalker stood at the base of the table, his hands clasped tightly behind his back and his expression dark beneath his hood.

Plo shook his head imperceptibly. This whole thing was a farce. So much unnecessary pain and suffering for naught.

Kenobi was, of course, not really dead. The Jedi Council had discovered a plot being concocted by the Separatist Moralo Eval within their very own prison. In order to preempt this, someone was apparently needed to go undercover and gain Eval’s trust in order to discover what this plan was and how it might be thwarted.

Obi-Wan Kenobi had been selected for the task.

So he needed to disappear.

Lies and deception. This was not the Jedi way. Yes, desperate times called for desperate measures, but that seemed to be an excuse that they were hiding behind more and more often these days.

It did not sit well with him.

“I’m worried about Anakin,” said Ahsoka in an undertone, looking up at Plo. “He hasn’t said a word since it happened.”

Something else that had been ‘essential.’ Keeping Skywalker in the dark was supposedly the best way to fool everyone into thinking that Obi-Wan really had perished. It had been Obi-Wan’s own idea, in fact. If Skywalker’s grief was genuine, no one would question anything. A brilliant idea, but a terrible one also.

What would he think when this was all over?

Ahsoka was showing immense resolve. Her grief was just as genuine as Skywalker’s, though she was at least speaking. She talked, even though her words were somber. He was proud of her. But then, he was always proud of her.

“He will need you now more than ever,” Plo intoned. “Your Master has always struggled with his emotions. It may be difficult, but he will need you to help him keep his mind and path straight.”

“I’ll try,” Ahsoka whispered.

And he was sure she would.

There was a pneumatic hiss and the table bearing the fake corpse of Obi-Wan was lowered into the floor. A door slid shut, sealing the body forever beneath the Temple. A beam of light shot upward from the door, signifying the deceased’s transformation into the Living Force.

Plo Koon had been seated on the Jedi Council for over a decade. In that time, he’d attended plenty of funerals for members of the Order. Too many. Especially in recent years. This one, however, was the first that was a complete and total lie.

He could only hope it was the last.

* * *

Rex, helmet under one arm, watched as the beam of light shot upward toward the ceiling.

Jedi custom. Odd. Still, it wasn’t _his_ religion.

“Rough day?” asked a voice from just behind Rex and to his right.

He glanced around. Standing there, helmetless and looking serious, was Captain Ordo.

“You could say that again,” Rex said. This was odd. He’d never gotten the impression that Ordo was familiar with or even knew of General Kenobi. “What are you doing here? Come to pay respects?”

“Not exactly,” Ordo said, his voice low. Apparently, he didn’t want to draw attention to himself. Rex glanced over at Cody, only a few paces away, but his brother was too focused on the corpse that had just been lowered into the floor. He wouldn’t be paying Rex any mind.

“Then what?”

“I’m here to give you an update,” Ordo said. “On our . . . project.”

“Now?” Rex asked, raising an eyebrow. Sure, he was curious, but they were in the middle of a funeral. “Can’t it wait?”

“No. We’ve . . . run into a snag.”

“Explain.”

“Kenobi isn’t the only person of importance that’s died recently,” Ordo said. “Our ‘benefactor’ Ko Sai is dead.”

“What?” Rex asked. “How?” If they did have a Kaminoan geneticist working for them, how the hell were they supposed to develop a cure for the aging process?

“She snapped her own overlong neck,” Ordo hissed. “Hung herself so that she wouldn’t play our game.”

“You don’t sound too sorry about that.”

“Can’t say I’ll miss her,” Ordo said. “Or that she didn’t do the galaxy a favor by offing herself, but it does leave us in the lurch.”

“What happened to the body?” Rex asked. “And what did you manage to get out of her before she died?”

“The Republic was looking for her, remember?” Ordo said. “So, we cut off her head. Gave it to Delta Squad. Boss and the others’ll deliver it to the Chancellor’s office as proof of her death. We’ll play dumb, say we never found her alive; only after she’d been killed by someone unknown. In terms of information, she gave us some gene sequences. Testing beds that the Kaminoans used when they were figuring out how to make us age faster. If we can figure out how all that works, we might be able to create a new gene sequence and synthesize a method for halting the acceleration.”

It was better than nothing, that was for sure.

“How did you get her to give that up?” Rex asked.

“Bribery,” Ordo shrugged. “We didn’t even have to torture her . . . much. She’s – excuse me, _was_ – a Kaminoan, so we just played into her scientific mind. Etain allowed her to study some of the genetics from her and Darman’s son. Gave Ko Sai her umbilical cord.”

Rex grimaced.

“I know. But the longnecks are a strange bunch. It fascinated her. That kept her happy for a little while and we got what we wanted. And then she went and killed herself.”

“That . . . is quite the snag.”

“Some of us Nulls have managed to learn a little bit about genetics, but not enough,” Ordo said. “None of us trained medics or scientists. It’s like the blind leading the blind.”

“So you’re saying the project is dead in the water?” Rex asked. Great. That was just great. One shot in the dark and it was already crashing down.

“Not necessarily,” Ordo said. “We’re still learning, testing, and figuring things out. “We might need help, though. We need someone on the team who actually understands the basis of all this. A medic. Since you want in on this whole thing, we figure you can help us find someone who’s willing to lend a hand.”

Rex thought for a moment. It made sense. But it was still dangerous. Involving the wrong person could easily get them all caught and terminated. But this was a pretty dire situation. Maybe life-and-death in the long run. He could at least try.

“Okay,” Rex nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Let me know when you have that figured out,” Ordo said. “We’ll work out the particulars.”

Rex already had someone in mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Afraid - The Neighbourhood
> 
> Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la - not gone, merely marching far away
> 
> This chapter was a rollercoaster, wasn't it? I wonder what'll happen next . . .
> 
> In other news, the first audio chapter of War Bonds Year 1 is up! Let me know what you think!  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEcrBfeBAPo&feature=youtu.be


	59. Frontier City

**Underground bar, lower levels, Coruscant**

Anakin and Ahsoka stepped through the open doors of the bar.

It was dimly lit, packed with patrons, and dingy. The perfect hideout for the scum of the galaxy. And that’s exactly who they were here for.

The Jedi Council had gotten word of a bounty hunter – Rako Hardeen – who had been sighted there the previous night. He’d been bragging about having killed a Jedi. There was only one person who that could be.

Anakin and Ahsoka had been informed, so here they were. To bring him to justice.

Anakin reached into his belt and drew his lightsaber. Holding it out beside him, he ignited it. In a split second, the bar fell silent and all eyes alighted on him.

“Where is Rako Hardeen?” he said, his tone demanding an answer. Quickly.

The bartender – an Anacondan that was wrapped around the rafters – turned its stalk eyes on him. “Ah, back room,” he sighed.

Cooperative. Good.

Shutting off his lightsaber, Anakin stowed it back on his belt and strode forward, Ahsoka in tow. Together, they crossed the bar and headed for one of the backrooms; a dirty place set up for patrons who had apparently had too much to drink and needed a place to sleep it off before leaving.

The room was sparse and dark, with the only furniture being a dingy bed across from the door and a small nightstand beside it. Light from the outside filtered in only through a pair of windows on the opposite wall that had the shades drawn but not closed completely. Upon the bed, his back to them, was a human figure. Sprawled out and unmoving, he was bulky, bald, and dressed in a jumpsuit and vest.

“Is he dead?” wondered Ahsoka, looking down at the figure with disgust, her arms folded.

“He’s about to be,” Anakin growled, his fists closing.

Stepping forward, he grabbed the man on the shoulder and turned him roughly around. His eyes opened, rolling slightly as he let out a few wet coughs. He was not dead, even if he deserved to be. He looked up at Anakin, squinting as though he were trying to put together the pieces of some puzzle.

“A Jedi?” he muttered, his voice deep and rough. “Uh . . . I already killed a Jedi today. Let me sleep.” And he rolled back over, resting his head on one outstretched arm.

Anakin’s rage almost boiled over and he had to fight the urge to pick Hardeen up and throttle him right then and there.

“He’s not dead,” Anakin snarled. “He’s drunk! Get up, you filth!”

He grabbed Hardeen by the collar of his vest, dragged him bodily off of the bed, and pushed him up against the nearest wall. He put enough effort into it that he actually managed to lift the man clear off his feet.

Hardeen groaned but still looked out of it, his eyes unfocused as he stared around at Anakin and Ahsoka, who had stepped forward as though she were on the verge of intervening.

“If it was up to me,” Anakin said, shaking the man, “I would kill you right here!” And that would feel _so_ good, wouldn’t it? This _sleemo_ had taken Obi-Wan from him. He should respond in kind. Wipe this stain from the galaxy forever. But he couldn’t. It wasn’t what Obi-Wan would’ve wanted. “But lucky for you, the man you murdered would rather see you rot in jail.”

He pushed Hardeen toward the door, grabbing his arms and holding them tightly behind his back. It wasn’t as though he was in any condition to resist, but Anakin needed to do _something_ to stop himself from snapping.

“Now let’s go, you coward,” Anakin said, “before I change my mind.”

* * *

Ahsoka stepped out of the speeder and onto the landing pad atop the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center. Anakin got out behind her, dragging Rako Hardeen, whose hands were now bound behind his back, with him.

She had to admit, the whole situation made her a bit nervous. She was sad about Obi-Wan and wanted the scum to pay for what he did, but she was a bit worried that Anakin would take matters into his own hands.

Revenge wasn’t the Jedi way.

The two of them accompanied their prisoner across the platform.

Commander Fox, who had been informed of Hardeen’s arrival, marched across the deck toward them, along with another member of the Coruscant Guard. As the two groups neared one another, Ahsoka reached out through the Force to brush up against Anakin’s consciousness, trying to read his feelings.

They weren’t anything good.

Her Master was angry. Looking to take his grief out on something or someone. He was barely managing to keep a lid over his rage. But he was still doing it.

As much as she didn’t like it, that would have to be good enough.

She really wasn’t sure what she could do for him. Anakin wasn’t one for talking about how he was doing or what was going on inside of him; she’d certainly learned that after years of being his Padawan. That was fine. Everyone had different ways of dealing with war and sadness. But it certainly became a problem in times like this.

“You should be expecting this scum,” Anakin said once they’d reached Fox. He shoved Hardeen toward the clones.

“Yes, sir,” nodded the other trooper as Fox caught Hardeen.

“Let me know if he’s any trouble,” Anakin said, folding his arms. “I’d be happy to straighten him out.

“No doubt,” Fox remarked. “We’ll let you know, sir.” He turned Hardeen around. “Come on, you. March!”

The two clones, now with Hardeen in tow, pivoted and started heading back toward the prison’s main doors.

Ahsoka watched them go. She was glad that Obi-Wan’s killer had been caught. Justice had been served. But . . . she still felt bothered by the whole thing.

Not just because Obi-Wan had died . . . there was something else. This had all happened so fast. The incident, the funeral, finding Hardeen. It had almost been too easy. Anyone with a brain would’ve left Coruscant after killing a Jedi. Maybe Hardeen really was that stupid. Maybe he’d just gotten lucky.

But there wasn’t supposed to be such a thing as luck.

* * *

Coric walked down the halls of the 501st barracks and wondered if he was about to be disciplined for something.

With no warning, Rex had summoned him to his office, telling him that they needed to discuss a matter of 'urgent importance.’ But what exactly could that be? It was a bit of a chaotic time, what with the recent death of General Kenobi. As far as Coric knew, the 501st wasn’t slated for any operations either in full-force or covertly.

So the only other option was that this was some sort of internal matter.

And if that was the case, why would Coric be the one Rex needed to talk to? Appo and Vaughn had higher ranks now, and most personnel issues were handled by Denal, anyway. Maybe it was some sort of medical concern. But then, why wouldn’t Rex have just asked Coric about it upfront as opposed to holding a meeting like this one?

He didn’t really understand, and so it was with some trepidation that he stood outside of Rex’s office, his helmet under one arm and his posture straight.

Taking a deep breath, he reached out and pressed the button beside the door, causing it to slide up into the ceiling. He stepped inside the room. On the other side, Rex sat behind his desk, his helmet resting before him. Slightly to his left, a holoscreen was projected into the air, showing the images of Commander Fox, Commander Wolffe, Captain Lock, Commander Neyo, and Commander Deviss.

“General Koon seems a bit nervous,” Wolffe was saying. “I dunno if that’s just ‘cause Kenobi died or if there’s something else going on.”

“I’m keeping an eye on the killer,” Fox said. “Hardeen’s his name. Been spending some time around Moralo Eval. I don’t like it; he’s a major Separatist player.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me if he was involved somehow, from what it sounds like,” remarked Deviss, shrugging. “Might’ve organized the whole thing from inside prison.”

“Nothing would surprise me at this point,” Fox said. “We know he’s got some top-tier intel that the Jedi want, so we’re probably going to put the squeeze on him soon. Worst comes to worst, we can hand him over to the Nulls.”

Coric cleared his throat. Rex glanced over to him, apparently only just then realizing that he was there. He held up one hand, signaling for him to wait a moment. Then, he turned to the holoscreen.

“We’ll have to continue this discussion later,” Rex said to the other officers. “I’ve got a personnel issue to work out.”

So there _was_ some sort of problem.

_Never a dull day at the office, is there?_

“Alright, Rex,” said Lock. “Take care.”

“You, too.”

The Captain reached forward and switched off the holoscreen. As the projection disappeared, he motioned for Coric to step forward and take a seat in front of the desk. He complied, placing his helmet on his legs and sitting back in the chair, keeping his posture straight.

“You, er . . . wanted to see me, Captain?” Coric asked.

“Yes,” Rex said.

“Is there an issue, sir? Something wrong I should know about? Or is this about me?”

“It’s not you,” Rex said, waving one hand. “And there _is_ an issue. It’s just not with any of our men. It’s . . . It’s, er . . . complicated.”

Coric raised an eyebrow. Now he was just confused. Apparently, he wasn’t in trouble and neither was anyone in the 501st. But . . . something was still up.

“Okay . . .” he said. “So . . .”

“What do you think about our aging, Coric?”

Coric was caught off guard. Aging? What did that have to do with anything? Where had that question come from?

“Our aging, sir?” he asked. “You mean our advanced aging?”

“Yes.” Rex leaned forward, placing his elbows on the desk and folding his hands in front of his chin.

Coric thought. “Well, I . . . guess I’m not exactly a fan of it. But I’ve learned to live with it, just like everyone else. Why?”

“Have you ever thought about finding a way to fix that?” Rex asked. “A cure?”

Unable to help himself, Coric laughed. “A cure?” he chuckled. “Come off it, Rex. I know there’re some medics out there that think they’re gonna become the savior of the _vod’e_ by finding a way to fix our condition, but I’m not one of ‘em. I don’t see a point in chasing pipe dreams and toiling after nothing. Why? Don’t tell me you’ve started buying into that crap.”

Rex didn’t laugh. Didn’t smirk. Didn’t do anything that might give Coric a sign that this whole thing was some kind of joke. In fact, the look he gave became all the more intense.

“Maybe I have.”

“Rex,” Coric said, raising a disapproving eyebrow. “Come on, now. I’d like to think it’s possible. We all would. But it’s never gonna happen. The Longnecks don’t want us aging normally, so we don’t. End of story. There’s no magic cure and there never will be because we can’t figure it out on our own. Hell, it might not even be possible.” Maybe his Force powers were affecting his brain. This was crazy talk, and it was all the more shocking that it was coming out of Rex of all people. Coric had been sure that there wasn’t a more pragmatic person in the galaxy, and here he was entertaining the idea of there being a cure to their aging problem.

What had gotten into him?

“It’s possible,” Rex insisted, lowering his hands.

“Rex –”

“I _know_ it’s possible.”

“How?”

Rex frowned. He paused for a moment, staying quiet. As though he were contemplating whether or not he should really say what was on his mind. After a long moment, he seemed to decide something.

“Do you . . . remember me coming back from Mortis?” Rex asked.

“Yeah,” Coric said, unsure of exactly what this had to do with their current conversation. But the Captain seemed to be all over the place at the moment, so he just went with it. “That was when Commander Tano told you about your Bond and that you were Force-sensitive. I was there, remember?”

“I remember,” Rex said. “I . . . knew I was Force-sensitive before she told me. I just didn’t want to acknowledge it. When I was on Mortis, I . . . had a vision. Or . . . something.”

“Okay . . . What did you see?”

“A lot,” Rex said. “And nothing. It didn’t make sense. I saw . . . what I think was . . . an older version of myself.”

“What?” Coric asked, leaning forward in his seat.

He’d heard the stories that Tano, Skywalker, and Kenobi had told, but he really wasn’t sure if he could convince himself that what they said was true. All-powerful Force beings, visions, ancient power, the Chosen One. It all just seemed way too far-fetched. Rex himself didn’t talk about what had happened much. Or really at all.

The clone captain grimaced. “Kenobi, Ahsoka, and I had all taken shelter in a cave,” he explained. “I guess I dozed off and didn’t realize it. I heard a voice I didn’t recognize and I turned and saw an older clone looking at me. Shaved head, gray beard, wrinkles. Old.”

Coric’s eyebrows knitted together. And old clone? Those didn’t exist at all. Not yet, anyway. With their lifespans, it’d be at least another decade or so before any of them started aged like that. If there were any of them left at that point.

“Well, what happened then?”

“He . . . basically told me that he lived on after the war,” Rex said. “It had been over for him for fifteen years. He wouldn’t give me a straight answer when I asked who won. Told me that he was me, and he proved it by telling me about the scar on my chin. Only Bacara and Cody know where it came from, and he certainly wasn’t either of them.” He indicated the diagonal scar over the base of his chin.

Coric had always wondered where that came from but figured it would be impolite to ask.

Besides, that wasn’t exactly relevant at the moment.

“And then?”

“He . . . he gave me a vision,” Rex said. “Of the future. Snapped his fingers and I started hearing and seeing things. A lot of things. A warning, he called it.”

Rex stopped.

“Well, what did you see?”

“It’s . . . hard to remember,” Rex said. “It all happened so fast I couldn’t keep track of everything. I remember a _Venator_ crashing into some planet, a bunch of clones meeting together somewhere, Jedi dying, Ahsoka running from something, Skywalker standing in front of the Jedi Temple. And . . . and I think I saw Umbara.”

“What?” Coric demanded. Well, he hadn’t seen _that_ coming. “What do you mean?”

“There was a part of the vision where I saw clones firing on one another in the dark,” Rex said, his expression grave. “I . . . I didn’t realize it at the time, but I think that was supposed to be us and the Two-Twelfth firing on each other. I didn’t even remember until it was already too late.”

Silence fell between them.

Rex looked pretty damn serious to Coric. Rex was no-nonsense. Maybe not as much as he used to be, but still wasn’t one for foolishness. If he wasn’t making this up, then this was the craziest thing he’d ever heard. But it would also mean it was the most important thing, too.

“So . . . you think everything you saw will happen?” he asked.

Rex sighed, leaning back in his chair and running a hand down his face. “I don’t know,” he said. “The way ‘future me’ was talking, it seemed like I was supposed to have a chance to stop or at least change things. That was the whole point of him letting me see and hear things. Besides, don't the Jedi always say something about the future always being in motion or something?”

“This is crazy, Rex,” Coric said, shaking his head.

“I know!” Rex said, throwing his hands up into the air. “But I can’t – I can’t just ignore it! Everything that happened on that fucking planet was crazy, but it still _happened_. I can’t explain it, and I doubt the Jedi can, either. But it was _real_.”

“What does this have to do with the aging?”

“That was something else ‘future me’ said,” Rex told him. “He said that there were clones in the Special Operations Brigade who were actively looking for a cure. Told me I should talk to the Nulls if I ever got the opportunity.”

“The Nulls?” Those guys gave Coric the creeps. Way too intense. Way too secretive. Withdrawn. “Well . . . did you?”

“Yeah,” Rex nodded. “I went to talk to them after Ahsoka got kidnapped on Felucia. I asked Ordo if there was any secret project that regarding finding a cure for our aging process.”

“You just _asked_ him?” Coric said, shocked. “Just like that?”

“Well, yeah . . .” Rex said, looking a little sheepish. “I mean . . . it didn’t exactly have a better plan. I just wanted answers.”

“And he told you?”

“Well . . . he made me prove myself first,” Rex said. He hesitated again. “He asked about what happened to me on Saleucami.”

“Why?”

“Because I lied in my report and he knew it.”

Coric’s mouth dropped open. _Rex_ of all people had lied in an official report? What the hell had happened?

“Why did you lie?” he asked.

“I was . . . protecting someone,” Rex explained. “After Jesse, Kix, and Hardcase left me at the farm they found, the man of the house came home. He . . .” Rex took a deep breath. “He was a clone.”

“A _vod_?” Coric said. “What was he doing there?”

“Deserting,” Rex said. He saw that he’d shocked Coric into silence, so he continued. “His name is Cut. His transport got shot down not long after the First Battle of Geonosis. The droids made their way through the wreckage, killing the survivors. So he ran. Met up with a Twi’lek woman and married her; helped take over the farm. Been living out there ever since. Probably still is now.”

“And you didn’t turn him in?” Coric asked. Why wouldn’t he? This ‘Cut’ was a traitor. A deserter. They had to turn deserters in. Those were just the rules. How could he abandon the rest of his brothers like that?

“No!” Rex asserted. “And I’m never going to. And you won’t either. He has a life. A family. Children. I . . . I can’t be the one to take that away from him. I don’t have that right, and neither does any of us. We all deserve the chance to live on our own terms, even if the GAR and the Kaminoans disagree.”

Coric bit the inside of his cheek. And here he had been thinking that the only secret he’d need to keep was Rex’s Force-sensitivity. Hiding a confirmed deserter was a completely different game.

Still . . . Maybe Rex was right. Cut was a human as much as he was a soldier. Just like the rest of them. Didn’t he deserve a chance to have his own life? Make his own choices? Maybe.

Coric sighed. “Alright,” he said. “Alright. I won’t say anything.”

“Good,” Rex said, his brow furrowed. “Anyway, after I told Ordo about Cut, he seemed to decide I was worth trusting. I still don’t really understand why, but that doesn’t really matter. He told me that the Nulls and a couple of Jedi were working on finding a way to cure our advanced aging condition. After a conversation with him and one of the Jedi – Etain Tur-Mukan – I found out that they’d kidnapped a rouge Kaminoan called Ko Sai. Apparently, they’d bribed her and were using her knowledge of our genetic makeup to engineer a cure.”

“Kidnapped a Kaminoan?” Coric repeated. “Fuck’s sake, Rex. If _anyone_ found out about that –”

“I know,” Rex cut him off. “They’re all aware of the risks. So am I.”

“Have you gone off the deep end?” Coric asked. This all seemed _so_ crazy. He couldn’t believe that Rex would get involved with all this.

“No,” the Captain said, his jaw set. “Actually, I think I’m starting to think clearly for the first time. Outside of the influence of the GAR. I want a life, Coric. I want the freedom to do what I want to do. Right now, I’m serving in the Grand Army because I think it’s the right thing to do. Because I’m loyal to the Jedi and to the Republic and I know the Separatists need to be stopped. But when this is all over, I want the option to choose where I go from here. This might just give me that option. Give a lot of us that option. To me, that’s worth the risk.”

Coric stared at him. He’d never heard Rex talk like that before. This was a whole new side of the man he’d never seen before. Had it always been there? Or had it developed more recently?

“Maybe,” he muttered. “I . . . I dunno. This is a lot, sir.”

“I know,” Rex assured him. “But it does get much better. The research has hit a bit of an impasse. Ko Sai killed herself. The Nulls don’t have a Kaminoan anymore.”

“Shit,” Coric said. “This whole thing’s a mess.”

“Maybe,” Rex said. “Ordo told me I should see if I could find someone with more medical knowledge that might be able to help them sift through what data they have so far.”

He looked at Coric pointedly.

_Why’s he –_

 _Oh, no. No_ way _._

“Rex, you can’t be serio –”

“Coric, you’re the best medic I know,” Rex told him. “Kix might give you a run for your credits, but I’ve known you a long time. You’re trustworthy and you take your job seriously. If anyone might be able to help them, it’s you.”

“Me even _knowing_ that this is going on is against the rules,” Coric almost shouted. “And now you want me to _participate_?”

“Coric, they need help,” Rex reiterated. “Against the rules or not, they’re trying to make a discovery that could change our future. This is a chance for us to live normal lives, not ones cut short long before they should be.”

“That’s only if we survive this war.”

“Some of us will,” Rex said. “Even if it’s not you and me, don’t you think that whoever’s left should have this opportunity?”

Coric opened his mouth to shoot something back but pulled up short.

Rex was right again, damn him.

Rules or no rules, this sounded like it was a good chance for all of them at a somewhat regular life. And, whether he admitted it or not, Coric was intrigued by the possibility of working with genetics and discovering a cure for their condition. It was just the medic side of him.

He relaxed a tad.

“Let’s . . . let’s say that – _maybe_ – I agree to do this,” Coric said. “What happens then?”

Rex smirked and Coric almost wanted to take back what he said.

“I’ll talk to Ordo,” he said. “I don’t know where exactly they’re conducting this research. Probably in the Arca Company Barracks or something. We’ll work something out. Maybe send you over there to see what they’ll put you up to.”

Coric shook his head. “I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this.”

“Neither can I,” Rex said. “But it’s the right call.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Frontier City - Kings of Leon
> 
> Some of you have been waiting on something like this for a long time.


	60. Eye for an Eye

**Chancellor Palpatine’s office, Coruscant**

Anakin watched the hologram of Mace Windu as he briefed Chancellor Palpatine on the situation regarding Rako Hardeen, Cad Bane, and Moralo Eval.

“Why are you removing the bounty on the three fugitives?” Palpatine asked, looking confused.

Anakin could hardly blame him; he was confused too. And angry.

Hardeen, Bane, and Eval had been involved in a huge riot at the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center. They and several other prisoners had escaped in the chaos, killing several clone shock troopers and officers in the process. Somehow, they’d gotten off Coruscant and were out there in the galaxy somewhere.

And Anakin couldn’t get his hands on them.

“If they’re free to move,” Windu said, “they could lead us back to Eval’s operation.”

It made sense to take advantage of this opportunity. But they were still letting Hardeen get away. Obi-Wan’s killer. There was a chance that he’d slip away and they wouldn’t be able to recapture him. Anakin couldn’t have that. _Wouldn’t_ have that.

Next time – and there would be a next time – he wouldn’t bring Hardeen in.

He’d just kill him.

“Very well,” Palpatine nodded. “Keep me apprised.” He reached forward and shut off the hologram. Windu disappeared, and he turned his attention to Anakin, who sat in one of the large, comfortable chairs in front of his desk. “You look troubled, Anakin.”

Of course he was.

How could he not be?

He wasn’t allowed to pursue. He just had to sit around and wait. And then maybe – _maybe_ – he’d be contacted and allowed to go after them. It wasn’t right. And he couldn’t just dump his problems on Ahsoka. She was grieving in her own way. He didn’t need to burden her with his issues. And as much as he wouldn’t mind opening up to Rex, he knew the clone captain wasn’t exactly great with emotions – not unlike Anakin – so what help would he be? He could talk to Padmé, but would she really understand his need for revenge?

_No. Not revenge. Justice._

So here he was. Sitting with Palpatine, who was as much of a father figure as Obi-Wan. Perhaps not quite as much. But he was up there nonetheless.

And he didn’t have Obi-Wan anymore. So Palpatine was the best it got.

“How can they expect me to just sit here and do nothing with Obi-Wan’s murderer on the loose?” Anakin hissed, slamming his fist into the arm of the chair and pushing to his feet.

He stalked toward the window that spanned the entire back wall of the room, staring intently out at the evening skyline. He needed to _do something_. But there was nothing to do.

“It is possible that they do not trust you to control your feelings,” Palpatine reasoned slowly.

As much as Anakin hated to admit it, he was probably right. And in this case, the Council would be too.

“Hardeen killed my Master,” Anakin said, shaking his head. “My _best friend_. And now he’s escaping with Cad Bane and Moralo Eval, and the Jedi Council won’t do anything about it!”

Palpatine rose out of his chair and walked toward Anakin. “I have it from a reliable source that the fugitives were last headed towards Nal Hutta. You cannot deny your feelings, Anakin. They are what make you special.” He placed a hand on Anakin’s shoulder. “If you believe you can stop this plot against me, I trust you.”

Well, that was more than what the Council would offer him, wasn’t it?

“Thank you, Chancellor,” Anakin said, looking down at the older man. “You won’t regret this.”

He turned and started walking out of the office. He needed to contact Ahsoka. They were about to take an unsanctioned trip to Nal Hutta.

“No. I won’t.”

* * *

Ahsoka followed Anakin out of the T-6 shuttle and onto hard, packed-in dirt.

Over the last couple of years, she’d been to backwater planets. She’d been to stink-holes filled with rouges and the scum of the galaxy. She’d never been to a planet that was both at the same time.

But here she was.

“What makes you think Obi-Wan’s murderer is on Nal Hutta?” she asked. All he’d said back on Coruscant was that they needed to get ready to leave and that they were headed after Rako Hardeen again.

When she’d asked if this was an authorized trip, he had, of course, said no.

But after being his Padawan for so long, she was used to this kind of thing.

“I got a tip from the Chancellor himself,” Anakin said, glancing back at her as the pair made their way across the barren ground and toward what she supposed was a town. To her, it just looked like a bunch of shacks clustered together and filled with grimy, shady-looking individuals.

“How are we gonna find them?” she wondered.

They were looking for outlaws in a town full of outlaws. Not exactly an easy task.

“Ahsoka,” Anakin chided, “you should know by now. If you want to find a lowlife . . .”

Right.

“You start at the saloon,” she finished.

She glanced over to what appeared to be a bar; built into a large piece of rock that had risen out of the ground. It wasn’t 79’s, that was for sure. But it was a start.

As the two of them moved through the crowd toward the bar, Ahsoka mused about how chipper Anakin seemed to be at the moment. It was a bit odd; this was the most he’d spoken since Obi-Wan’s death. Maybe he was in better spirits now that they were actually doing something. Or maybe he was just motivated to get his hands around Hardeen’s throat. Either way, he seemed to be doing better.

Maybe that was a good sign.

The two Jedi crossed the terrace outside of the building and slipped through the entrance, passing a pair of Gamorrean guards and a Pa’lowick with her arms wrapped around two Twi’lek girls, who were almost carrying her out of the bar as she drunkenly inquired where they were heading next.

_Real classy._

They entered the interior of the saloon. Lit with a dull, orange light, Ahsoka could see that the place was packed. Patrons of all shapes, sizes, and species mingled about, drinking, eating, laughing, and even getting it on.

Then, another pair of Gamorreans step in front of them, blocking their path forwards and raising their vibroaxes threateningly.

Anakin raised one hand and called out to the Force, pushing the guards off their feet and slamming them into the circular bar that took up the center of the room. Then, he yanked an axe from one of the guards’ hands and sent it flying across the room. It bit into one of the walls, narrowly missing the head of some Gotal.

All chatter ceased.

Ahsoka and Anakin approached the bar. The bartender, an Ithorian wearing a translation device around his long, curved throat, approached them.

“The fugitives are already gone,” the Ithorian said in a gravelly, digitized voice. Obviously, it wasn’t hard for him to figure out why two Jedi had suddenly appeared on his doorstep.

“All three of them were here?” Anakin demanded.

“Two came in,” said the bartender, “met the third.”

“When did they leave?” Ahsoka jumped in.

The Ithorian clasped his hands together. “Nothing’s free on Nal Hutta,” he said, “especially information.”

He’d picked the wrong day to try that. And the wrong Jedi.

Anakin reached forward again. This time, he lifted the bartender off of the ground by the throat, his hand outstretched and half-clenched; squeezing the air from the Ithorian’s lungs.

“I don’t have time for games,” he said, the threat obvious.

Large eyes wide, the Ithorian choked, gasping for breath. “You – just – missed them,” he sputtered.

“Keep talking.”

“I – heard one of them say they just – bought a ship,” said the bartender, his hands reaching up to clutch the sides of his neck.

There was a pause.

Then, Anakin lowered his hand. The bartender flopped onto the counter before him, coughing and wheezing as he struggled to regain his breath. His eyes closed as he shook himself, clearly terrified.

Anakin turned away and started walking back toward the exit. “Let’s go, Snips,” he said, sweeping past her.

She followed, though not before casting a worried glance back at the bartender, who was still recovering and babbling to himself in his native language.

She wanted to catch Obi-Wan’s killer as much as Anakin, but should they really be going to lengths such as this to do it? Choking out – relatively – innocent bystanders in order to get information quicker? They could’ve bargained at least a little bit. Still . . . he was under a lot of stress recently. Maybe it was just that.

She hoped so.

They two marched back out of the bar and headed back to the shipyard they had landed their shuttle in. Wasting no time, Anakin strode up to the person who appeared to be in charge: a Bith man who looked particularly harried.

He whipped out his holoprojector and held up an image of the three escaped fugitives.

“Have these three men tried to buy a ship here recently?” Anakin asked.

Ahsoka hoped that – for his sake – the shipyard's director cooperated.

The Bith cooed and warbled in his native language for a few moments. Ahsoka didn’t really catch much, but apparently Anakin did.

“How do you know they couldn’t have gotten very far?” he asked, his eyebrow raised suspiciously.

The Bith spat something else out.

“So you only gave them enough fuel to reach the nearest filling station, on Orondia, which is owned by your brother?” he asked, almost sounding impressed. He fished in a pouch on his belt and tossed the Bith a silver credit. “Well, that’s a nice little money-making scam."

Now, why couldn’t they have just done that back in the bar?

“We’d better get going,” Ahsoka prompted, following him as they walked back toward their shuttle. “Orondia’s pretty deserted. They may steal a ship there to throw us off their trail.”

“I like your thinking,” Anakin agreed.

* * *

Rex paced in front of the Supreme Chancellor’s office, bored out of his mind.

This should be Fox’s gig. But General Skywalker had insisted that Rex and some of his men stand guard over Palpatine while he and Ahsoka went after Hardeen, Bane, and Eval. Something about there being a Separatist plot in motion that involved the Chancellor in some way. Rex wasn’t privy to the particulars. He just followed orders.

So, he, Checkers, and Blink were stationed in front of Palpatine’s office.

Just standing guard.

“Why did we get pulled for this again?” Blink asked. “This isn’t our job, it’s the Coruscant Guard's.”

“The General wants the best of the best guarding the Chancellor,” Rex said. “That means us.”

“Skywalker’s probably just a bit jumpy at the moment,” Checkers remarked. “Which is understandable, but I still think this is overkill.”

“Overkill or not, we’ve got a job to do,” Rex reminded them. “And we’re going to take it seriously.” That’s how they always had to do their jobs, whether they liked them or not.

“Yes, sir,” both clones said simultaneously, standing straighter.

Rex’s communicator beeped.

Reaching into his belt, he pulled the device out and activated it. The hologram of Jedi General Mace Windu appeared in his palm.

_Shit._

“Captain Rex,” Windu said, staring intensely at him, “I need to speak with General Skywalker. He’s not responding to my calls.”

“Sir,” Rex said, “General Skywalker is unavailable.”

“Where is he, Captain?”

“I . . . can’t say, sir,” Rex said.

“You can’t?” Windu asked, narrowing his eyes. “Or you won’t?”

This was not good.

Fortunately, at that moment, the doors behind Rex opened and Chancellor Palpatine and Mas Amedda stepped out into the waiting area.

“Anakin is on Nal Hutta,” said Palpatine, glancing at Windu’s hologram.

Instantly, the Jedi shifted his attention from Rex to the Chancellor, allowing the Captain to breathe normally once more. He folded his arms, looking somewhat surprised.

“Nal Hutta?” Windu asked.

“Protecting me is only postponing the problem,” Palpatine said, “not solving it.”

“With all due respect, Chancellor,” General Windu said, exasperated, “the Council has a plan in place.”

“Yes, and so does Moralo Eval,” Palpatine reasoned, “who appears to be several steps ahead of you. For that reason, I asked Anakin to take action. He is confident he can find the fugitives and stop this plot against me. I suggest you have more faith in young Skywalker.”

Windu said nothing, but Rex could tell that he was not happy with what Palpatine was saying.

The old man turned toward Rex. “Captain, if you must escort me home, I’m leaving now.”

“Yes, sir,” Rex said, standing to attention.

He switched off the communicator in his hand and stowed it on his belt once more. Signaling to Checkers and Blink, he fell into step behind Palpatine and Amedda as they headed for the exit of the office.

The sooner this whole fiasco was over with, the better.

Rex had better things to do than guard Chancellor Palpatine against a plot that didn’t sound like it was even in motion yet.

* * *

Anakin gazed out of the shuttle’s main viewport at the surface of Orondia.

It was mostly uninhabited. Rocky. Desolate. Aside from the refueling station that stuck out like a sore thumb on the planet’s surface, there were a few pipelines protruding from the ground, obviously meant for sucking up fuel from beneath the ground and transporting it into the station.

“Look, it’s Cad Bane!” Ahsoka shouted, peering out of the window at another shuttle that was docked at a nearby port.

“Are you sure?” Anakin asked. They didn’t have time to be chasing down decoys or mistaken identities.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes at him. “Ugh, who else wears a hat like that?” she said, nodding toward the figures that were boarding the shuttle.

Anakin followed her gaze. Indeed, the last figure to enter the ship as its ramp retracted was wearing a brown, wide-brimmed hat bigger than almost any Anakin had ever seen before. There was definitely a good chance it was Bane.

“Good point,” he nodded. “Let’s see if we can’t force them to land.”

As the other shuttle took off and left the refueling station behind, Anakin gunned the thrusters and tailed it. Speeding up, he skimmed just close enough to the other ship that he brushed the top of it with the T-6’s lower fin, causing both transports to shudder with the impact. He pulled up, sure that his opponents would take evasive action and try to outfly him. Which they did.

Both crafts crested over a nearby hill and found themselves in the middle of a huge fuel field, filled with pipelines that crisscrossed the jagged, rocky landscape. Anakin kept the T-6 just close enough to the other ship that whenever they attempted to rise and head into the upper atmosphere, the Jedi shuttle was there, blocking their ascension.

Sooner or later, they’d have to land and deal with them personally.

Or . . .

He could speed up the process.

“Take over,” Anakin said to Ahsoka, rising out of his seat. “I’ll bring ‘em down.”

As his Padawan grasped the controls and steadied the ship, Anakin raced into the rear compartment and descended a short flight of steps into the exit bay. He jammed his fist into the button that opened the hatch. It slid sideways, and Anakin felt a sudden wind whipping at his robes as he was suddenly exposed to the cool, night air. He gripped the sides of the doorway and peered out. Beneath him, he could see the top of the fugitives’ ship as it swayed back and forth, trying to find an opening to shoot past the Jedi shuttle.

Anakin wasn’t about to let them have that chance.

He waited for the right moment, then jumped out of the T-6, flying through the air and landing on the hull of the other ship. He rolled, absorbing most of the impact and springing to his feet, crouching low to avoid being swept off the side by the draft of air that the propulsion kicked up.

Igniting his lightsaber, he darted across the top of the ship and slid off onto its port side thruster. Raising his weapon high over his head with both hands, he drove the blade down into the metal, cutting a long, deep gash into it. The ship swerved, but Anakin managed to keep his balance.

And suddenly he was not alone out there.

He felt the warning in the Force and raised his lightsaber on instinct alone as Cad Bane appeared above him, using a grappling cable and his boot-mounted thrusters to keep close to the ship and away from Anakin. Bane leveled one of his twin blasters at Anakin and fired. Anakin blocked the flurry of bolts, deflecting one so that it rebounded back at the bounty hunter, catching him in one of his thruster boots. The Duros let out a shout of surprise as he was suddenly thrown off balance in midair. He tumbled downward, landing heavily on the top of the ship; a long, flat area.

Anakin took the offensive, clambering upward and advancing on Bane, who crawled backward, still taking aim at him. Anakin deflected a few more bolts. He was just about to rush forward and deliver the killing blow when the ship gave a violent shudder once more. This time caught unprepared, Anakin stumbled back a few steps, windmilling his arms in order to keep his balance. Seizing the opportunity, Bane activated his remaining thruster and pushed himself away from Anakin, drawing his second blaster pistol and opening fire once more. Anakin rushed forward, batting aside more blaster bolts as Bane slid backward off the top of the ship and landed on its nose; just in front of the bridge. Anakin jumped down after him, but he’d barely gotten his footing when the ship swerved sharply to the right.

He and Bane were both thrown off balance once more.

Suddenly, the ship’s blaster cannons started firing. Looking ahead, Anakin saw the lasers hit a fuel line, rupturing it and causing a fiery explosion that shot high into the sky. They also punched through some sort of natural stone archway, sending a plume of dirt and pulverized stone to burst into the air.

In the confusion, the ship pulled up sharply.

Ahsoka must not have been expecting such a move, because the two shuttles collided in midair, sending each careening off in different directions toward the ground.

_Oh, that’s not good._

Anakin’s feet left the deck and he cried out in surprise as he was thrown through the air, luckily landing on the rocky ground that hadn’t been as far away as he thought it might have been. His back, his shoulder, his other shoulder, and then his back again all collided with the stone, sending waves of sharp pain throughout his body as he rolled to a stop.

Still, nothing had broken. Yet.

Groggy and dazed, Anakin pushed himself to his feet, all too aware that there were still bounty hunters nearby.

He felt around sluggishly on the ground, looking for his lightsaber.

After a moment or two, his fingers brushed a cylindrical, metal object. He grabbed it and pulled it toward him. It was his ‘saber, alright. He stowed it on his belt and turned, squinting in an attempt to see through the huge cloud of powdered stone that had been kicked up by the two ships' crash landings.

Just ahead, he could see a dark figure making their way through the cloud, blaster raised.

No hat, so it wasn’t Bane.

No headtails, so it wasn’t Ahsoka.

_Hardeen._

Letting out a shout of rage, Anakin dove forward, not bothering to draw his lightsaber as he tackled the unsuspecting man to the ground. The two rolled for a meter or two before coming to a stop with Hardeen on top.

Drawing upon the Force, Anakin pushed the scum off of him, sending Hardeen reeling back a pace or two and buying him enough time to surge to his feet.

“You’re going to pay for what you did!” he snarled, his hands curling into fists. He darted forward, his hands going for the bounty hunter’s throat.

Hardeen held him back. “You shouldn’t have gotten involved!” he shot back.

_What?_

_What the hell is he talking about?_

He slammed Hardeen into a nearby rock wall and brought his knee upwards, striking Hardeen right in the groin. He gasped in pain and fell to his knees, giving Anakin just the opportunity he needed.

Stepping back, he drew his lightsaber, holding it above his head with one hand.

“This is for Obi-Wan,” he said, getting ready to strike down the coward that had taken his Master from him.

And then –

A cable shot out of nowhere and wrapped itself tightly around Anakin, pinning his arms to his chest and causing his lightsaber to deactivate.

_No!_

He had been _so close_.

“You can thank me later, Hardeen,” drawled Cad Bane, hopping down from the low rock wall and hovering in the air using his only remaining boot thruster. “You had your chance to kill him. Now it’s my turn.”

He dragged Anakin several meters before coming to a stop. He struggled, but he couldn’t break free of the line that had ensnared him.

Time for a different tactic.

Anakin summoned what remained of his energy and flipped backward, striking out with his feet and hearing a satisfying grunt of pain as his boots made contact with something hard.

The cable loosened, and Anakin broke free, drawing his lightsaber just in time to deflect a pair of shots from one of Bane’s pistols. Darting forward, he cut the weapon in two and was just about to end Bane when something large and rather hard struck Anakin in his side, sending him sprawling to the hard ground once more.

_Hardeen._

Anakin jumped up once again and swung his lightsaber in a downward arc at his attacker, hoping to cut him in two.

But Hardeen was somehow just as quick as he was.

He grabbed Anakin’s wrist, stopping the blade just before it cut through his ugly, bald head. He used Anakin’s momentum against him, pulling him right over his shoulder and onto the ground before straddling his chest and driving his fist right into Anakin’s face.

One blow. Two. Three. Four.

Black stars erupted in front of Anakin’s eyes but he fought past them.

Reaching up, he grabbed Hardeen’s fist before it could strike him again and threw the bounty hunter off of him. Lightsaber all but forgotten, Anakin rushed at him and reared back his metal fist, his aim placed right on Hardeen’s jaw.

But even as he lay on his back, Hardeen caught Anakin under the arm and around the shoulder in a tight grip. He squeezed, placing pressure on his throat, cutting off his air supply.

His voice was suddenly right in Anakin’s ear.

“Anakin,” he whispered, “ _don’t_ follow me.”

But that didn’t sound like Hardeen.

It sounded like . . .

And then blackness overcame him.

* * *

Ahsoka’s eyes shot open.

She stumbled back out of her chair, one hand reaching up to clutch her extremely sore temple. In the crash, she must’ve shot forward and banged her skull against the controls. Had she been out for long? Where was Anakin?

_Oh, shit. Cad Bane and Rako Hardeen are out there, too._

He might be in trouble.

Ahsoka shook herself, trying to pull it together as best she could, and stumbled back toward the exit of the cockpit. She slipped through the door and made her way down to the exit bay before stepping out of the ship and onto the hard ground outside. She took a second to glance around and get her bearings.

The shuttle had crashed right next to what appeared to be some sort of processing or refining station and had burrowed into a small cliff face. Which was a good thing; if she’d crashed into the fuel supply, she doubted that she or anyone else would be walking away from this disaster. Peering around, she saw that the other ship was in much better shape. It had landed on a ridgeline just above the processing area. If Anakin was anywhere, he’d certainly be up there.

Calling upon the Force to steady herself, Ahsoka crouched for a moment before springing high up into the air, landing neatly upon the top of the processing device. She kept her eyes on the ridgeline and realized that she could see a fight going on right before her eyes. Anakin was advancing on Cad Bane, his lightsaber held high and ready to finally end the scumbag. Suddenly, Rako Hardeen slammed into him, pushing him aside before going in for close combat.

Anakin needed help.

Ahsoka took a few steps back, clutched her lightsabers, and ran forward. When she was just at the edge of the platform, she jumped again, leaping high into the air and activating her weapons. She let out a battle cry as she swung at Cad Bane, who had drawn a blaster and was leveling it at Anakin’s now limp form as Hardeen backed away.

She darted over to her Master’s sprawled-out body, taking a defensive stance over it. There was no way she was about to let him die, too.

Bane fired, but she blocked his shots, sending the blaster bolts ricocheting off into the stone around them.

The three of them stood there for a moment, just staring at one another.

Waiting.

And then a short, stocky Phindar appeared from behind the crashed ship and called out.

“The ship is operational,” he said, looking toward Bane and Hardeen. “I got it working. Now let’s get out of here.” And he turned and ran back toward their ship.

Bane glanced back toward Ahsoka, who hadn’t moved an inch.

“You’re lucky we’re in a hurry, little lady,” he said, twirling his blaster and placing it in his holster. “We’ll have to dance another time.” He tipped his hat at her before turning and sprinting back toward the ship. Hardeen hesitated for a moment, then followed him.

Ahsoka waited for them to be completely out of sight, then shut off her lightsabers and crouched by Anakin’s side.

“Master,” she urged. “Master, are you alright?” She shook him. He couldn’t be dead. He _couldn’t_ be.

Not him too.

But her fears weren’t warranted.

Slowly, Anakin moved his head, his face scrunching up in exertion as he slowly pushed himself into a sitting position, coughing.

Off to the side, Ahsoka heard engines firing. Glancing over, she saw the enemy’s shuttle slowly lift up off the ground and turn itself around in the air. The thrusters fired, and it shot off into the night sky.

The fugitives had escaped. Again.

But Anakin was still alive, so they still had a chance.

Draping one of Anakin’s arms around her shoulders, she tried to help him to his feet, but he groaned and sat back down. Hard.

“What is it?” she fretted, worried he’d broken something. “What’s wrong?”

Anakin’s eyes narrowed. “That’s . . . why I felt a connection,” he muttered, looking furious. “Obi-Wan is still alive.”

Ahsoka’s mouth fell open.

_What?_

But . . . that couldn’t be true. They’d seen him die. They’d _both_ seen it. Surely, he was just talking crazy, right?

“I-I-I don’t understand,” Ahsoka said, shaking her head. Had the bounty hunters caused him brain damage?

“I don’t either,” Anakin said, shaking his head. “But we’re gonna get to the bottom of this. Believe me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eye for an Eye - The Last of Us Part 2 Soundtrack
> 
> Well, it's heating up. Just like we knew it would


End file.
